India-Germany ties: FTA, submarine deal emerge as key priorities for Berlin

Germanys ties with India have assumed greater importance amid growing global uncertainty with the two countries looking to deepen cooperation in trade defence and labour mobility German Ambassador to India Jasper Wieck said on Wednesday at a press conference hereDescribing the current period as an era of unpredictability Wieck said Russia had wrecked trust and peace while the United States was constantly changing the rules of the game making closer cooperation between India and Germany more importantOn Indias continued purchase of Russian oil he said Germany understood the energy needs of a country of 14 billion people but argued that reducing purchases of Russian oil would dent Moscows ability to finance the war in UkraineDefence cooperation is another key priority with Wieck saying a possible German submarine deal with India could give a big boost to bilateral ties while unmanned systems cyber missile and sensor technologies offered other areas for cooperationWieck assumed charge as Germanys ambassador to India and Bhutan recently and presented his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu in AugustAs his three priorities as ambassador Wieck identified the pending formal signing of the IndiaEuropean Union Free Trade Agreement FTA labour migration and defence cooperationIf we dont buy any oil anymore from Russia then the funding the financing for the Ukraine war stops he said adding that Germany understood Indias specific situation as a country of 14 billion people whose economy depends on energy importsThe ambassadors remarks came amid growing Western pressure on countries including India that are buying Russian energy The US has recently moved to target major buyers through the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act which authorises sanctions and tariffs on purchases of Russian oil and gas The European Union EU however does not directly sanction third countries for buying Russian oilUkraine has been ready for a ceasefire for a long time and Russia has opposed it Wieck said adding that the conflict had affected India and Germany through higher prices of grain and fertilisers and also had geopolitical implicationsHe said Russia was becoming increasingly dependent on China and the sooner the war ends the better adding that the way forward was to change the costbenefit calculation on the Russian sideWieck also said India could play a role in efforts towards a diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine conflict while stressing that the war had to end through a process that changed Russias calculationOn defence cooperation Wieck said The submarine deal if it materialises will be a big boost to the IndoGerman partnership describing submarines as among the most complicated and complex and ambitious military systemsIndia and Germany are expected to sign a deal for six nextgeneration conventional submarines under Project75I The estimated 8billioneuro agreement involves Germanys ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Indias Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders and envisages building the submarines in IndiaWieck added that unmanned systems cyber capabilities missile technology and sensors were other potential areas of defence cooperationOn the IndiaEU FTA Wieck said Germany expected the agreement whose negotiations were successfully concluded in January to be signed by the end of 2026 after which it would require ratification by the Indian and European parliamentsOn pending student visa issues Wieck said Germany was working to address the concerns while noting the importance of facilitating greater movement of students and skilled workers between the two countriesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever