German Chancellor meets Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, May 31 (ANI): German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here today to discuss bilateral trade, defence deals and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) succession.

Merkel's arrival was delayed as Iran temporarily withdrew flyover rights for the plane to India on Tuesday, forcing it to circle over Turkey for two hours before the rights were restored and she could land in Delhi.

Merkel is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising six federal ministers and is expected to lobby for a lucrative 11 billion dollar fighter jet deal and seek Dr. Singh's support for the candidature of Christine Lagarde for the job of IMF chief.

The two leaders are also expected to give a push to bilateral trade, as Germany is one of India's largest trading partners in Europe.

Later in the day, Merkel is also expected to meet President Pratibha Devisingh Patil, who would confer her the Jawaharlal Nehru Prize for International Understanding for the year 2009. (ANI)