Indian Defence Minister (DM) Rajnath Singh held talks with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius in New Delhi on Tuesday and agreed to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries.
During the bilateral talks, Singh and Pistorius also held discussions on the progress of a deal for procuring six advanced conventional submarines by the Indian Navy under Project-75I.
Had fruitful discussions with the German Defence Minister, Mr Boris Pistorius. His passion for Yoga is commendable.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 6, 2023
We discussed regional issues and our shared priorities. We also agreed to further strengthen defence co-operation between India & Germany. pic.twitter.com/W5ouqtOvIq
Overview
Upon arriving for a four-day visit to India, Pistorius received a Tri-Service Guard of Honour at the Manekshaw Centre, Delhi Cantt.
The two ministers discussed regional issues and shared their respective countries’ priorities. They also reviewed the ongoing defence cooperation activities and sought ways to enhance cooperation in the defence-industrial partnership.
Singh invited German investments in the Defence Industrial Corridors in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Additionally, the Indian DM said that the Indian defence industry could participate in the German defence industry’s supply chains and add value to the ecosystem while contributing to supply chain resilience.
“Rajnath Singh stressed that India and Germany could build a more symbiotic relationship based on shared goals and complementarity of strength, namely skilled workforce & competitive costs from India and high technologies & investment from Germany,” a statement following the meeting read.
After meeting with Singh, Pistorius also attended an Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) start-up event at Research and Innovation Park, IIT Delhi.
The need to enhance defence-industrial cooperation, technology partnerships, long-term research and development, and improving supply chain security were discussed at the event.
“The event included a briefing on iDEX followed by showcasing of game-changing technologies by Indian start-ups on augmented reality/virtual reality, energy systems, smart drones and anti-drone systems, space propulsion systems and other allied technologies,” the Defence Ministry said.
The event also highlighted the promotion of co-development and co-production in India, including potential areas and projects, wherein Indian and German start-ups can work together.
German Federal Minister of Defence Mr. Boris Pistorius, today attended an event of @India_iDEX start-ups at Research & Innovation Park, @iitdelhi, following his bilateral meeting with Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh. (1/2)
— A. Bharat Bhushan Babu (@SpokespersonMoD) June 6, 2023
Read for more: https://t.co/aHJrAnevHt@giridhararamane pic.twitter.com/uOAzl3WUTR
Flagship Submarine Project, India’s Dependence on Russia, and Germany in the Indo-Pacific
The German DM made a strong pitch for a deal of six submarines with German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), and said that the submarine deal could become a “flagship project” between the two countries. South Korea and Germany are the only countries capable of fulfilling India’s requirements on the deal.
In an interview with the German news outlet DW ahead of his visit, The German DM said that India’s dependence on Russian military hardware did not favour Germany’s long-term interests.
Pistorius said that Germany should do more in the Indo-Pacific region in partnership with India, as nobody can predict what will happen in the next few years.
Germany has also announced that it will send two warships to the Indo-Pacific in 2024. The German DM said the country needs strategic partners like India and Indonesia to achieve free navigation and trading routes in the region.