By Staff Correspondent
Rajnath Singh, India’s Defence Minister, engaged in a bilateral discussion with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, in New Delhi on June 6, 2023. The meeting centred on reviewing the progress of existing defence cooperation between the two nations and exploring avenues for bolstering collaboration, particularly in defence-industrial partnerships.
Singh underscored the favorable prospects within the defense production sector, emphasizing the potential for German investments in the Defense Industrial Corridors situated in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, he highlighted the Indian defense industry’s ability to contribute to the resilience of supply chains and augment the ecosystem by participating in the supply chains of their German counterparts, thereby creating additional value.
The Defence Minister articulated that India and Germany have the opportunity to forge a mutually beneficial relationship founded on shared objectives and the synergy between their respective strengths. In particular, India’s skilled workforce and competitive costs complemented Germany’s advanced technologies and investment capabilities.
The strategic partnership between India and Germany was established in 2000 and has been reinforced through Inter-Governmental Consultations since 2011, conducted at the Heads of Government level.
The meeting witnessed the presence of senior officials from India’s Ministry of Defence, including Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan. The German delegation comprised State Secretary Benedikt Zimmer from the Ministry of Defence, along with other senior officials and the German Ambassador to India. Notably, this visit marked the first time a German Defence Minister has visited India since 2015.
Prior to the bilateral meeting, the visiting dignitary received a Tri-Service Guard of Honour. Later in the day, Boris Pistorius engaged with Indian defence start-ups at IIT Delhi, participating in an event organiSed by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX).
Boris Pistorius, the German Federal Minister of Defence, arrived in India on June 5 for a four-day visit. On June 7, he is scheduled to travel to Mumbai, where he will visit the Western Naval Command Headquarters and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
