New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the bilateral meeting with visiting German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius on Tuesday invited German investments in the Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Both Ministers reviewed the ongoing bilateral defence cooperation activities and explored ways to enhance the collaboration, particularly defence industrial partnership.
Rajnath Singh highlighted the opportunities that have opened up in the defence production sector, including the possibilities for German investments in the two Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. However, the Indian defence industry could participate in the supply chains of the German defence industry and add value to the ecosystem, besides contributing to supply chain resilience. Rajnath Singh underscored that India and Germany could build a more symbiotic relationship based on shared goals and complementarity of strength, namely skilled workforce and competitive costs from India and high technologies and investment from Germany.
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It is pertinent to note that India and Germany have had a strategic partnership since 2000, which is being strengthened through Inter-Governmental Consultations since 2011 at the level of Heads of Government. During the meeting today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gifted a replica of an elephant to the German Minister in turn, the German side gifted a painting of Bendlerblock. "Had fruitful discussions with the German Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius. His passion for yoga is commendable. We discussed regional issues and shared priorities. We also agreed to further strengthen defence-operation between India and Germany", tweeted Rajnath Singh.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, including Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, participated in the delegation-level meeting. From the German side, State Secretary from the Ministry of Defence Benedikt Zimmer, apart from senior officials and the German Ambassador to India were present. This is the first visit of a German Defence Minister to India since 2015. The bilateral meeting was preceded by a Tri-Service Guard of Honour to the visiting dignitary.
Later today, Boris Pistorius will interact with some Indian defence start-ups at IIT Delhi, in an event organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX). The German Federal Minister of Defence arrived in India on Monday on a four-day visit. On June 7, Wednesday he will be travelling to Mumbai, where he is scheduled to visit the Headquarters, Western Naval Command, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
