Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is currently in India, an exquisite handloom woollen khadi stole from Ladakh and a Ratnam pen.

The stole, known as `Call of Ladakh`, has an intricate traditional Ladakhi border pattern and four corner motifs, in dark wool.They arn is hand-spun using the finest sheep wool, on a traditional charkha, bynative Ladakhi women, in the harsh winter months.

The Ratnam Pen, named after KV Ratnam (originally from afamily of goldsmiths in Rajahmundry) was made iconic by Mahatma Gandhi. It isstill produced even today, its original form, by KV Ratnam and Sons - Ratnam Ballpen Works, a company owned by Ratnam's descendants.Even today, it has abarrel for filling ink using a dropper and the Genius Iridium Nib fromGermany.Notably, Mahatma Gandhi had written over 31,000 letters in his quest totake India to its freedom. Many of these letters were written using the penthat was made for him in 1934 by Ratnam, by using indigenous materials whichwere based upon Mahatma Gandhi`s request to him to create 'swadeshi' (locallymade) products - be it a pin or a pen.A young Ratnam, took on the challenge anddeveloped an ink pen which won him Mahatma Gandhi`s praise, evident when thelatter wrote him a letter saying, "Dear Ratnam, I have used the fountainpen and it seems to be a good substitute to the foreign pens, one sees in thebazaar." 'A copy of the prized letter has been presented in a 'recycledwood' and brass frame, created to match the vintage aesthetic of the Ratnampen.

Merkel is currently on a three-day visit to India. She arrived in New Delhi on Thursday and held talks with Modi on several bilateral issues the following day.

The two countries signed over 20 agreements including several in the form of Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) in artificial intelligence (AI), education, agriculture, maritime technology sectors among others.