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India and Germany volition heighten defence commercialized with an oculus connected ‘co-production and co-development,’ said Prime Minister Narendra Modi connected Monday (January 12, 2026), arsenic the 2 sides signed an statement to fortify bilateral defence concern cooperation.
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Welcoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to India, Mr. Modi said India volition motorboat a ‘consultation mechanism’ connected expanding collaboration with Germany successful the Indo-Pacific region. In his remarks, Chancellor Merz, who is connected his archetypal sojourn to Asia since assuming bureau successful May 2025, said “rough winds” are blowing successful satellite authorities and that India and Germany should summation concern to antagonistic planetary trends of instability.
“The increasing practice successful defence and information is simply a awesome of our communal spot and shared vision. I explicit my heartfelt gratitude to Chancellor Merz for simplifying the processes related to defence trade. We volition besides enactment connected a roadmap to heighten practice betwixt our defence industries, which volition unfastened up caller opportunities for co-development and co-production,” said Prime Minister Modi successful his remarks pursuing talks with Chancellor Merz, erstwhile respective agreements, including 1 connected ‘Strengthening the Bilateral Defence Industrial Cooperation’, were signed. Apart from defence, the database of ‘outcomes’ included respective different MoUs and Joint Declarations of Intent covering areas similar recruitment of skilled professionals by Germany, sports, and higher education.
Mr. Modi pointed retired that Chancellor Merz’s sojourn coincided with India and Germany marking 25 years of strategical concern and 75 years of diplomatic relations. He showcased India-Germany concern successful 3rd countries specified arsenic Ghana, Cameroon and Malawi, saying that these examples amusement that the 2 sides tin enactment to enactment improvement successful the Global South. The 2 teams besides discussed aggregate determination issues, including the conflicts successful Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, with PM Modi reiterating India’s condemnation of terrorism. “India has ever advocated for the peaceful solution of each problems and disputes, and supports each efforts being made successful this direction,” helium said, announcing that a consultation mechanics with Germany volition beryllium launched for the Indo-Pacific region.
Mr. Modi said that bilateral commercialized betwixt the 2 countries has crossed $50 billion, “infusing caller energy” into the relationship.
Chancellor Merz urged India to spouse with Germany successful strengthening ‘global proviso chains’. “Unfortunately, we are seeing a renaissance of protectionism,” said Mr. Merz, adding that protectionism hurts India-Germany commercialized ties. The comments from the visiting German person astir the emergence successful protectionism successful planetary affairs came against the backdrop of a diminution successful India-U.S. commercialized relations that person been deed by the imposition of punitive tariffs connected India by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Chancellor Merz did not speech astir President Trump successful his ceremonial remarks, but later, talking to reporters, helium mentioned that Germany does not enforce tariffs connected different countries, an indirect notation to the punitive tariffs that the U.S. has imposed connected India.
“Countries similar Germany and India person been focusing connected principles of escaped commercialized and unfastened markets, and we volition proceed to absorption connected these principles successful future. We are experiencing that large powers are utilizing proviso chains and earthy materials arsenic instruments of power. Together we privation to reason this,” said Chancellor Merz, indicating the India-EU Free Trade Agreement could beryllium concluded arsenic aboriginal arsenic the extremity of this month.
A Joint connection issued aft bilateral talks said that the 2 leaders person “reiterated their enactment for the decision of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement arsenic a cardinal result of the upcoming EU-India Summit, which volition facilitate commercialized flows and inject further momentum into German-India economical relations.”
The 2 sides reiterated their committedness to combat amerciable migration and aimed for afloat implementation of the provisions of the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) that was signed successful December 2022. The statement is aimed astatine stopping “irregular migration, quality trafficking and papers and visa fraud”, said the Joint Statement.”
It added that a ‘Joint Declaration of Intent’ signed connected Monday (January 12) connected the recruitment of healthcare professionals volition code Germany’s request for the sector.
