New Delhi, June 03: India on Tuesday welcomed Germany’s decision to implement visa-free airport transit for Indian nationals, describing the move as a significant step towards strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing people-to-people connectivity.
The new arrangement, which comes into effect from June 3, allows Indian citizens travelling to third countries via German airports to transit without requiring an airport transit visa.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the measure follows discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during the latter’s visit to India in January 2026.
According to the MEA, the waiver is expected to facilitate smoother travel for Indian passengers while further deepening social, cultural and economic exchanges between the two nations.
Announcing the development, the German Embassy in New Delhi said the removal of the airport transit visa requirement was formally published in Germany’s Federal Law Gazette on June 2 and will become operational from June 3.
The embassy noted that the decision reflects Germany’s commitment to strengthening ties with India, improving mobility and supporting growing economic engagement between the two countries.
The move is expected to benefit Indian travellers, students, professionals and business executives who frequently use German airports as transit hubs for international travel.
The announcement follows a period of expanding India-Germany cooperation across trade, investment, technology, healthcare and renewable energy sectors.
During Chancellor Merz’s visit earlier this year, both leaders welcomed the sustained growth in bilateral trade and investment, noting that two-way trade reached a record high in 2024 and continued its positive momentum through 2025.
India and Germany also signed multiple agreements covering strategic and economic cooperation. According to the MEA, the two countries concluded 19 agreements and announced several policy initiatives aimed at deepening collaboration across business, technology and people-to-people exchanges.
The visa-free transit facility is expected to further support business travel and connectivity as economic and commercial relations between the two countries continue to expand.
