India and Germany sketch roadmap for tech partnership during Scholz’s key Delhi visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday unveiled a detailed vision focusing on innovation and technology to bolster economic ties and address global challenges, including Climate Change.

“Held productive talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Our talks focussed on ways to boost India-Germany cooperation and further augment trade ties. We also agreed to deepen ties in renewable energy, green hydrogen and biofuels. Security cooperation was also discussed,” tweeted PM Modi after holding bilateral talks with the German Chancellor at the Hyderabad House.

This is Chancellor Scholz’s first visit to India after assuming office and the fourth time that the two leaders met in the span of a year, underscoring the mutual commitment to growth of the multifaceted India-Germany Strategic Partnership.

Scholz was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan, following which Prime Minister Modi and the Chancellor held discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues.

PM Modi said that the strong ties which India and Germany share are based on shared democratic values, and the increasing cooperation between the two largest democratic economies of the world is not only beneficial for people of both the countries, but also sends a positive message in today’s tension-ridden world.

It was announced later that, with a view to developing a more comprehensive Indo-German roadmap on innovation and technology, India and Germany will introduce and develop several elements of their partnership.

This includes energy partnership and clean technologies, including collaboration between India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Germany’s Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG) on Green Hydrogen.

PM Modi stated that security and defence cooperation can also become an important pillar of India-Germany Strategic Partnership.

“Together we will continue to make efforts to fully realize our untapped potential in this area. In the fight against terrorism and separatism, there is an active cooperation between India and Germany. Both the countries also agree that concerted action is necessary to end cross-border terrorism,” he said.

He mentioned that, since the beginning of the developments in Ukraine, India has insisted on resolving this dispute through dialogue and diplomacy.

“India is ready to contribute to any peace process. We have also agreed that reform of multi-lateral institutions is necessary to reflect global realities in a better way. This is evident from our active participation within the G4 to reform the UN Security Council,” said PM Modi.

Scholz also called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan later in the day. He is now scheduled to visit Bengaluru on Sunday.

“President Murmu noted that Germany is India’s largest trade partner in Europe and also among the top investors in India. She said that Germany is also India’s second largest development cooperation partner and has played an important role in India’s developmental journey,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

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