PM Modi, German Chancellor Merz inaugurate Ahmedabad International Kite Festival 2026
Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Merz inaugurated the 2026 Ahmedabad International Kite Festival, where thousands of participants from India and 50 countries showcased creative kites. The event blended culture, diplomacy, and festivity with messages of unity and India’s achievements
Ahmedabad: A pennant reading Operation Sindoor, a giant Hanuman with his mace, the tricolour, and myriad other kites floated against a cloudless blue sky as politics, diplomacy, and festivity blended at the Ahmedabad International Kite Festival on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz inaugurated the 2026 edition of the festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront.
The sky became a canvas of colours, with kites of various shapes and sizes fluttering in the breeze. Modi and Merz interacted with women artisans, observing the kite-making process, before taking a ride in an open vehicle and trying their hands at flying kites.
Messages like Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), INDIA, and expressions of affection for the Prime Minister decorated strings of kites, while above them, others bore the hashtag #GUJARAT IKF2026, Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and I Love Modi. In a scene that captured the crowd’s heart, the two leaders stood side by side, manoeuvring strings to keep their kites steady against the river breeze.
The ground, too, offered a spectacle: 108 musicians welcomed the German delegation with a traditional German tune played on Indian classical instruments like the sitar, flute, and tabla.
The festival featured 135 international kite flyers from 50 countries and 65 enthusiasts from 13 Indian states, along with 871 participants from 16 districts of Gujarat. Unique and creative kites from across the world added to the festival’s global appeal.
Prabhatkumar Pushti, a participant from Odisha, said, “I have been attending the kite festival for eight years. This year’s celebration is the best, with PM Modi gracing the event. I am lucky that PM Modi flew my kite, #GUJARAT IKF2026, alongside the German Chancellor.” He also praised the event’s seamless organisation and the city’s warm welcome.
To familiarise visitors with Gujarati cuisine and arts, 25 handicraft and 15 food stalls were set up. Since 1989, Ahmedabad has hosted the International Kite Festival as part of the official Uttarayan (Makar Sankranti) celebrations, bringing master kite makers and flyers from across the world to showcase their skill and creativity.