ANDALIB AKHTER / NEW DELHI
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and German counterpart Johann David Wadephul held wide-ranging talks here today, reaffirming the strong partnership between India and Germany as well as their shared commitment to global stability and cooperation with the European Union.
During their discussions, both leaders reviewed bilateral and multilateral issues, covering political cooperation, security, defence, climate action, future technologies, and people-to-people exchanges. At a joint press conference, Dr. Jaishankar emphasised that the dialogue was productive and forward-looking.
Dr. Jaishankar expressed deep appreciation for Germany’s consistent support of India’s stance against terrorism. He noted that Minister Wadephul had explicitly backed India’s right to defend itself against terror attacks. Both sides underlined the importance of safeguarding the international rules-based order and ensuring strategic autonomy in a multipolar world.
Expanding Trade and Economic Links
Highlighting economic cooperation as a core pillar of the partnership, Dr. Jaishankar pointed out that bilateral trade touched nearly 50 billion euros last year. He welcomed Germany’s optimism that this figure could potentially be doubled in the coming years. Reassuring German businesses of India’s commitment to improving ease of doing business, he promised that any concerns faced by German companies entering or operating in India would receive special attention.
Science, Technology, and Green Energy
Marking 50 years of Indo-German scientific collaboration, Dr. Jaishankar called for strengthening this partnership by linking it more closely with industry and exploring new opportunities in space cooperation. He said both nations were keen to collaborate in emerging fields such as green hydrogen, renewable energy, and biofuels—areas crucial to tackling climate change.
People-to-People Exchanges
Dr. Jaishankar also announced that the two countries had agreed on issuing gratis visas for short school and college visits to encourage student exchanges and cultural understanding. He added that India and Germany are also celebrating nearly 60 years of cultural agreements and 25 years of their strategic partnership.
German Foreign Minister’s Remarks
German Foreign Minister Wadephul praised India as an “innovative powerhouse” and a vital technology centre. He underlined India’s role as the world’s largest democracy and a major economic force in a geopolitically critical region. Stressing that both economies stand to benefit greatly from deeper cooperation, Wadephul reiterated Germany’s unwavering support for India’s fight against terrorism. He further stressed that Berlin shares New Delhi’s commitment to defending the international rules-based order, while also recognising India’s special importance in shaping global responses to today’s complex challenges.
Earlier in the talks, Dr. Jaishankar sought German support for deepening India’s relationship with the European Union and for expediting negotiations on the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement. He expressed confidence that this partnership, built on decades of trust in culture, science, and strategy, would continue to expand across multiple dimensions.