German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed a desire to strengthen defence ties with India, aiming to bring the militaries of the two nations closer. His comments followed a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Germany, traditionally not closely linked with India in defence matters, is now seeking to join India’s efforts to diversify its arms sources away from Russia, amidst Western attempts to counter China’s rising influence.
Scholz stated, “Our overall message is clear, we need more co-operation, not less.” He added that during inter-governmental consultations with India, there is an intention to enhance defence co-operation and integrate the militaries.
Leading a high-level delegation to New Delhi, Scholz was accompanied by most of his cabinet. Germany is betting on increased access to the vast Indian market to reduce its reliance on China. Notably, German company Thyssenkrupp is one of two bidders aiming to build six conventional submarines in India, a deal estimated at $5 billion. The Indian Navy is expected to choose between Thyssenkrupp and Spain’s Navantia soon.
Scholz also echoed his economy minister’s call for swift progress in free-trade pact negotiations between India and the European Union. However, Trade Minister Piyush Goyal warned that India could not agree to such a deal if the EU insisted on accessing India’s dairy sector. The two sides initially aimed to conclude talks by the end of 2023, but progress has been slow, with India attributing delays to the EU’s “irrational” standards.
Goyal suggested that a trade deal could be reached quickly if both sides respected each other’s sensitivities. He made these remarks at the Asia-Pacific conference of German business in New Delhi, attended by German Economy Minister Robert Habeck. On Thursday, Habeck identified agriculture as the “most problematic” area in the trade talks, suggesting a focus on the industrial sector first.
(With Reuters inputs)
