Rajnath Singh to visit Germany next week to discuss strengthening defence cooperation

New Delhi, April 19 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Germany for an official visit from April 21-23 to further strengthen the defence partnership between the two nations.

During his visit, Rajnath Singh is set to hold talks with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, and other senior leaders of the government.

Discussions will focus on increasing defence industrial collaboration, strengthening military-to-military engagements and exploring opportunities in emerging sectors like cyber security, artificial intelligence, and drones, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Defence.

A Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Training are likely to be signed in the presence of both ministers.

"The visit will provide an opportunity to review the ongoing defence cooperation initiatives and identify new avenues for collaboration between the defence industries of both countries. Shri Rajnath Singh is also expected to interact with key representatives of the German defence industry, with a view to promoting joint development and co-production under the Make-in-India initiative," the Ministry of Defence stated in a release.

The last visit to Germany by any Indian Defence Minister was in 2019, when then-Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited the European nation. Boris Pistorius travelled to India in June 2023 and held talks with Rajnath Singh.

"India and Germany share a strong & multifaceted strategic partnership, anchored in democratic values, the rule of law, and a shared commitment to a rule-based international order. Defence and security cooperation has emerged as an important pillar of this partnership in recent years. The objective of the visit is to further deepen bilateral ties and contribute to regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity," the Ministry of Defence stated in a release.

On April 14, India and Germany held Foreign Office Consultations in Berlin and agreed to further deepen and diversify cooperation in areas of contemporary relevance, including critical and emerging technologies, defence, industrial collaboration, digital governance, renewable energy, green hydrogen, innovation, and development cooperation in third countries.

During the meeting, the officials of two nations took stock of the current status of bilateral relations and explored ways to further deepen the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"During the Consultations, both sides undertook a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of India-Germany bilateral relations, including trade and investment, defence and security, technology, green and sustainable development, mobility, and people-to-people exchanges," it said.

The two sides discussed key regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and State Secretary of the German Foreign Office Geza Andreas von Geyr co-chaired the Foreign Office Consultations held in Berlin.

"The consultations were held in a significant year for bilateral ties, as India and Germany are commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations this year, following the celebration of 25 years of the Strategic Partnership in 2025. The Co-chairs also launched the logo commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of India-Germany diplomatic relations," the MEA release said.

During his visit to Berlin, Misri also met German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

"Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met German Foreign Minister Dr Johann Wadephul in Berlin on 14 April 2026. FM Wadephul appreciated steady progress in the India-Germany Strategic Partnership. Both agreed to broaden and deepen cooperation across key areas and reaffirmed the importance of this vital relationship," the Indian Embassy in Germany posted on X.

Misri also interacted with senior Foreign Policy experts, Members of Parliament, and senior officials from the Federal and state governments at the Korber Foundation.

"Foreign Secretary Vikram had an engaging interaction with political leaders and senior Government officials. The discussions focused on deepening the India-Germany Strategic Partnership across key pillars of cooperation, including trade, defence, technology and innovation. They exchanged perspectives on regional and global developments."

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor