India, Germany Sign Pacts to Boost Defence, Tech, Energy

• India and Germany signed 19 agreements to boost cooperation in defence, tech, energy, and human resources
• Key deals cover green energy, semiconductors, renewable energy skilling, and battery storage collaboration
• Other agreements include education, healthcare skills, sports, postal services, and visa-free transit for Indians

During the two-day official visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to India, India and Germany recently signed a wide range of agreements in various sectors such as defence, technology, health, energy, and human resources.

The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the two countries not only signed 19 agreements but also took several joint initiatives to promote cooperation in the fields of strategy, economy, and people-to-people contact.

In order to deepen their economic relationships, India and Germany decided to set up a CEO Forum as part of the Joint India-Germany Economic and Investment Committee.

The two countries also signed declarations of intent in the field of critical and emerging technologies that included semiconductor ecosystem partnerships, cooperation on critical minerals, and collaboration in telecommunications among others.

Developing energy and sustainability was one of the topics that received a lot of attention from the partners. India’s AM Green and Germany’s Uniper Global Commodities entered into an offtake agreement for green ammonia, and the Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board and Germany’s DVGW signed an MoU on renewable energy collaboration.

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There was a major development in higher education and skilling with the adoption of a roadmap that includes the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Renewable Energy at the National Skill Training Institute in Hyderabad.

Two other agreements that were signed are: visa-free transit for Indian passport holders, Track 1.5 Foreign Policy and Security Dialogue and bilateral dialogue on the Indo-Pacific.

Germany has committed to invest 1.24 billion euros as part of the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership for areas including renewable energy, green hydrogen, PM e-Bus Sewa, and climate-resilient urban infrastructure. A working group for battery storage was also formed under the India-Germany Platform for Investments in Renewable Energy Worldwide.

Additionally, there were agreements on bioeconomy research, Indo-German Science and Technology Centre extension, global skill partnerships in the healthcare sector, sports cooperation, postal services, and youth hockey development, indicating a wide and strategic development of bilateral cooperation.