Germany focuses on India for strategic, technology and economic ties: Report

Berlin, Sep 13 Germany’s "awakening" to India is centered on three concrete strategic priorities, including technological sovereignty, economic diversification, and engagement in the Indo-Pacific engagement, a report cited on Saturday.

It said that the recent visit of the German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul to India, clearance for the submarine deal, and his joint statements with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar underscored Germany’s recognition of India as a key strategic partner in several domains.

During his visit to India from September 1-3, the German Foreign Minister declared that "India equals Asia for us and Germany and the European Union, in a way, are equivalent for India".

"He was not indulging in mere diplomacy by equating India with the whole of Asia. His words underlined a strategic assertion that signals towards a fundamental recalibration in Berlin's strategic thinking and its outlook towards the India-Germany ties. What exemplifies this shift is the recently cleared INR 70,000 crore submarine project under Project 75(I) that involves Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders," a report in India Narrative detailed.

"Taken together, these developments highlight Germany’s recognition of India as a trusted partner in its pursuit of technological sovereignty, economic diversification, and Indo-Pacific engagement," it added.

According to the report, Berlin’s interest in pursuing technological collaboration with New Delhi was explicitly signalled during the press interaction of German Foreign Minister Wadephul and EAM Jaishankar held on September 3. Wadephul lauded India’s innovation hubs, citing his visit to Bengaluru and ISRO, and underlined enhanced cooperation in sectors such as AI, space, and other technology-related fronts.

“Furthermore, trade featured as a prominent agenda item of discussion between the two foreign ministers. Germany and India affirmed that their bilateral trade was nearly €50 billion last year, and both sides expressed confidence in doubling it. In addition to this, Germany’s support for India-EU Free Trade Agreement talks and discussion on easing regulatory bottlenecks and export-clearance mechanisms signals a maturity in their economic relations,” the report stressed

India has assured to address concerns regarding ease of doing business, mobility of talent, and regulatory predictability, while Germany acknowledged the opportunity in engaging with India’s growing capabilities.

"Germany’s Indo-Pacific interests stand prominently in its attempt to engage further with India. In the joint press interaction, freedom of maritime trade routes in the region, freedom of navigation, and regional security were expressly discussed. In a tense, volatile, and uncertain regional environment, Germany expressed its concerns and wished to cooperate with India, a prominent Indo-Pacific actor," the report noted.

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