The new arrangement, effective from June 3, allows Indian nationals to transit through German airports without a visa….reports Asian Lite News Desk
India on Tuesday welcomed Germany’s decision to operationalise visa-free airport transit for Indian nationals, describing the move as an important step towards strengthening people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Under the new arrangement, Indian citizens travelling to a third country via Germany will no longer require an airport transit visa when passing through German airports. The measure came into effect on June 3.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the decision followed discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during the latter’s visit to India in January this year.
“We welcome the operationalisation by Germany of the announcement waiving requirement of transit visa for Indian nationals transiting through Germany, exclusively by air, with effect from June 3,” the MEA said in a post on X.
The ministry added that the initiative would further enhance people-to-people ties and facilitate travel between India and Germany.
Earlier in the day, the German Embassy in New Delhi confirmed that the requirement for Indian nationals to obtain an airport transit visa had been removed.
According to the embassy, the lifting of the transit visa requirement was published in Germany’s Federal Law Gazette on June 2 and became effective the following day.
The embassy said the measure implements one of the outcomes of Chancellor Merz’s January visit to India and reflects the German government’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties, facilitating mobility and strengthening economic cooperation.
The decision is expected to benefit thousands of Indian travellers who use German airports as transit hubs while travelling to destinations across Europe, North America and other regions.
The move comes amid growing engagement between India and Germany across a range of sectors, including trade, technology, renewable energy and healthcare.
During Chancellor Merz’s visit earlier this year, the two countries reviewed progress in bilateral relations and welcomed the continued expansion of trade and investment ties. Both sides noted that bilateral trade had reached a record high in 2024 and continued to grow through 2025.
India and Germany also concluded 19 agreements and announced several policy initiatives aimed at expanding cooperation across strategic, economic and people-to-people domains.
Officials in both countries have increasingly emphasised mobility and talent partnerships as key pillars of the bilateral relationship, particularly as Germany seeks to attract skilled professionals and deepen engagement with India.
The latest visa facilitation measure is expected to make international travel easier for Indian citizens while reinforcing the broader partnership between New Delhi and Berlin.
