German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday praised India’s rapid strides in the technology sector and highlighted the potential for stronger cooperation between Berlin and New Delhi.
“Our economies, in particular, have much to gain if we expand our cooperation further. I visited Bengaluru yesterday and saw firsthand what an innovative powerhouse and technology centre India has become,” Wadephul said at a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.
He further described India as having “special and strategic” importance on the global stage. “As a rising economic powerhouse, the world’s most populous country, and the largest democracy, India holds a special position in a strategically significant region,” he added.
During their bilateral meeting, Wadephul and Jaishankar discussed international challenges, including concerns about China’s increasingly aggressive stance. The German Foreign Minister emphasized expanding cooperation in defence, security, and armaments.
“India and Germany share the goal of preserving a rules-based international order, including freedom of maritime trade routes in the Indo-Pacific. China’s growing assertiveness is a concern for both nations. We aim to further strengthen cooperation in defence and security, whether through joint exercises or faster export licensing processes. Security in the Indo-Pacific is closely linked to security in Europe, and Russia’s ongoing war of aggression remains our biggest security challenge,” he said.
On India hosting the AI Summit, Wadephul praised New Delhi’s ambition to be a leader in emerging technologies. “India hosting the next AI Summit demonstrates its commitment to being at the forefront of new technology,” he said.
Speaking on bilateral trade, he noted, “India and Germany are already in the premier league of global trade. Germany, with just under 31 billion euros in trade, regards India as its most important partner. We aim to double that, and it is encouraging to see India share a similarly optimistic outlook.”
Wadephul is on a two-day visit to India, his first since Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government took office earlier this year.
-ANI