NEW DELHI (DPA) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a delegation of ministers are scheduled to hold talks with their Indian counterparts in New Delhi on Friday (Nov 1) to find ways to boost economic and strategic ties.

Dr Merkel, who arrived in the Indian capital late on Thursday, plans to hold delegation-level talks and a one-on-one with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The talks are the fifth in a series of biennial bilateral summits between Germany and India.

Besides economy and trade and investment, issues relating to foreign policy and security are high on the agenda, Mr Raveesh Kumar, spokesman for India's Ministry of External Affairs said.

Cooperation in agriculture, education, science - specially new digital technologies - were also expected to be discussed.

Pacts in the areas of artificial intelligence, urban mobility and sustainable development are expected during the visit.

Mr Modi and Dr Merkel are scheduled to hold interactions with top Indian and German business leaders. A team of top German business executives is accompanying Dr Merkel.

Germany is India's largest trading partner in Europe and bilateral trade has hovered at around US$20 billion (S$27.21 billion) for the past five years.

Both countries see further potential, specially in context of the current trade disputes between the United States and China and Brexit developments.

Germany is the seventh-largest foreign direct investor in India and German companies have over 600 joint ventures and 1,600 collaborations.

On Saturday, Dr Merkel is scheduled to visit the facility of such a collaborative enterprise which manufacturers automotive components on the outskirts of Delhi.

She is also expected to visit a Delhi Metro station with Mr Modi before leaving for Germany.

The city's Metro services use coaches manufactured by Berlin-headquartered Bombardier Transportation.