Markus Söder, leader of the German conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), said he plans to run for a free trade zone with Europe on his upcoming trip to India.
“Our main goal is to strengthen relations with India,” Soder said Saturday before departure in Munich.
Only the CSU in Bavaria has ally with the incoming Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Soder said he consulted not only with Meers before his trip, but also with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.
“Our goal is not only to expand Bavarian ties, but also to signal a new federal government that will soon be formed: we hope to establish a joint free trade zone between Europe and India,” Söder added.
Söder’s trip will begin on Saturday and will last for several days and include political talks in New Delhi and visit Karnataka, a Bavarian partner province in the southwestern part of the country.
The regional capital, Bangalore (formerly Bangalore), is commonly known as India’s Silicon Valley, known for its booming high-tech industries and shopping scenarios.
Söder can benefit from the establishment of free trade zones for Bavaria and Germany.
“In this world of customs chaos, we must send new signals to support common free trade and create joint free trade zones,” he said.
India has a population of 1.4 billion, and he called the country “a huge opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation.”
