Underlining that “predictability today has a huge premium in global politics”, India and Germany on Wednesday reiterated that there was a “very powerful case” for India and the European Union, and India and Germany to work “much more closely with each other”.
And just like that, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took subtle aim at US President Donald Trump’s isolationist policies.
Despite the chaos caused by Trump’s tariffs, both nations have pledged to double their two-way trade, which reached nearly $50 billion in 2024. Furthermore, Wadephul voiced Germany’s strong support for the EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) and hoped it would be finalised before the end of this year. He went on to say that just as “India equals Asia” for Germany, “Germany and the European Union” are equivalent for India.
Beyond trade and ease of doing business, Wadephul reiterated that “peace is the basis for security and freedom”.
Germany, along with the rest of the EU, have been trying to secure a ceasefire agreement to end the 3-year+ conflict between Russia and Ukraine. But negotiations so far have not yielded anything more than the occasional prisoner swaps.
Declaring “Russia’s war of aggression” in Ukraine as the biggest challenge to Europe’s security, Wadephul hoped India and PM Modi would lend a helping hand despite admitting that the two nations don't always see 100% eye to eye. Additionally, he reaffirmed Germany’s support when it comes to India defending itself against terrorism.
Moreover, there’s good news for Indian students looking to study and settle in Germany. Indian students in Germany already make up the largest group of foreign applicants to its universities and that number is likely to go up.
Wadephul declared that Germany and India have agreed on gratis visas for short-term school and college visits. He also hoped that Indian students opt to stay back as they are “an asset to the German labour market”.
