In a significant boost to bilateral relations, India and Germany on Monday cemented their strategic partnership by finalising a total of 19 agreements and announcing a series of collaborative measures. The wide-ranging outcomes, spanning defence, critical technologies, clean energy, and mobility, were unveiled during the two-day official visit of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to New Delhi.
Strategic and Economic Pillars Strengthened
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the new initiatives are designed to deepen cooperation across the strategic, economic, and people-to-people pillars of the partnership. In a move set to greatly ease travel, Germany announced visa-free transit for Indian passport holders passing through its airports. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally thanked Chancellor Merz for this decision, highlighting that it will not only facilitate smoother travel for Indian nationals but also significantly intensify people-to-people connections between the two nations.
On the strategic front, a key outcome was the signing of a 'Joint Declaration of Intent' to strengthen defence industrial cooperation. Addressing the India-Germany CEOs Forum, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that this agreement "will provide clear policy support to our companies for co-innovation and co-production in defence." He also noted that new avenues for collaboration would open up in the space sector as a result.
Focus on Technology, Energy, and Sustainability
To reinforce economic engagement, both sides agreed to integrate a newly established CEO Forum into the existing joint India-Germany economic and investment committee framework. In the realm of critical and emerging technologies, the two countries signed declarations of intent covering several high-priority areas:
- Semiconductor ecosystem development
- Cooperation on critical minerals
- Collaboration in telecommunications
Energy and sustainability formed a major part of the agreements. A significant offtake agreement was signed between India's AM Green and Germany's Uniper Global Commodities for the supply of green ammonia. In another key pact, India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water Industries (DVGW) to cooperate on renewable energy.
Investments in Skilling, Climate, and Dialogue
On education, skilling, and mobility, the partners adopted a higher education roadmap and concluded additional agreements. One notable project is the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Renewable Energy at the National Skill Training Institute in Hyderabad.
In a major commitment to climate finance, Germany pledged an additional €1.24 billion under the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership. This funding is earmarked for projects in renewable energy, green hydrogen, the PM e-Bus Sewa programme, and climate-resilient urban infrastructure. The Prime Minister's Office clarified that Germany had earlier committed €10 billion under this partnership for 2030, largely through concessional loans, with approximately €5 billion already utilised or earmarked since 2022.
Further institutionalising the relationship, India and Germany agreed to establish a Track 1.5 foreign policy and security dialogue, alongside a bilateral dialogue mechanism focused on the Indo-Pacific region. A battery storage working group was also launched under the India-Germany Platform for Investments in Renewable Energy Worldwide, rounding off a comprehensive set of outcomes aimed at future-proofing the bilateral partnership.
