New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has invited German companies, emphasizing the vast opportunities in India’s defense production sector. During a bilateral meeting with German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius in New Delhi, Singh encouraged German firms to invest in the defense industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Singh highlighted the potential for collaboration between the Indian and German defense industries, emphasizing the benefits of India’s participation in the supply chains of the German defense sector. He stressed the importance of value addition to the ecosystem and enhancing supply chain resilience.
The meeting between the two ministers focused on reviewing existing bilateral defense cooperation activities and exploring avenues for further collaboration, particularly in defense-industrial partnerships. Singh emphasized the potential for a symbiotic relationship between India and Germany, leveraging their strengths, such as India’s skilled workforce, competitive costs, and Germany’s high-end technologies and investments.
India and Germany have enjoyed a strategic partnership since 2000, which has been further strengthened through intergovernmental consultations since 2011 at the heads of government level. The delegation-level meeting included senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, such as Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. From the German side, State Secretary Benedikt Zimmer from the Ministry of Defence, along with senior officials and the German Ambassador to India, were present. Notably, this marks the first visit of a German defense minister to India since 2015.
The meeting commenced with a Tri-Service Guard of Honour to honor the visiting dignitary. Minister Pistorius arrived in India for a four-day visit and is scheduled to travel to Mumbai, where he will visit the headquarters of the Western Naval Command and the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, further strengthening ties between the two nations.