German Chancellor Angela Merkel who arrived in India on May 31 held wide-ranging discussions with Indian leadership including with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh. The two countries reviewed the security scenario in Pakistan and Afghanistan and its implications in the region.

Angela Merkel asserted that terrorism had to be fought ‘on all fronts and not selectively’. Dr Singh responded, “We discussed the developments in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Terrorism is a serious challenge which will have to be fought on all fronts and not selectively.” After the talks, India and Germany signed four agreements for cooperation in vocational education, medical research, science and technology and nuclear physics. The Chancellor too is pitching for IAF’s acquisition of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) in which Eurofighter Typhoon has been shortlisted, alongwith France’s Dassault Rafale.