Source: BBC

It was no doubt planned many months ago, but the timing of Narendra Modi’s short tête-à-tête with Angela Merkel in Berlin on Tuesday will be interpreted as deeply symbolic in Germany and beyond. Could there be something of a pivot to Asia going on in Europe’s economic powerhouse?

The Indian prime minister arrived in Europe after what has already been something of a whirlwind few days for Germany’s chancellor.

First there was a tense Nato summit in Brussels, followed by, to use Frau Merkel’s understated phrasing, a “very difficult” G7 summit in Italy, where differences over climate change were particularly apparent.

Then on Sunday, in a Bavarian beer tent, Mrs Merkel made the remarkable pronouncement that Germany could no longer rely on its long-standing partners – for which read: Brexit-Britain and Donald Trump’s America.

It’s telling, though, that Mrs Merkel’s remarks were covered with more fanfare abroad than they were in the Germany’s domestic press, where they were largely recognised as a deft piece of electioneering.

She wants to make clear she’s as prepared as anyone else to stand up to Trump, who reiterated past criticisms on Tuesday with his tweet: “We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change”.

But while things may have come to a head this week, Germany’s business community had already been slowly coming to the conclusion that it may – regrettably – be time to seek new friends.

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