NEW DELHI: India and Germany will deepen and diversify cooperation in key areas such as emerging technologies, digital platforms, renewable energy, and development cooperation in third countries ahead of the biennial inter-governmental consultations.
As part of preparations for the inter-governmental consultations, the two countries held their foreign office consultations in New Delhi on Monday. The discussions were co-chaired by foreign secretary Vikram Misri, who assumed office on Monday, and Thomas Bagger, state secretary of the German Foreign Office.
During the meeting, both sides undertook a review of the gamut of bilateral relations, including key areas of bilateral cooperation such as trade, investment, science and technology, defence, development cooperation and academic and people-to-people exchanges, the external affairs ministry said in a readout.
“They agreed to further deepen and diversify bilateral ties in key areas of contemporary relevance such as emerging technologies, digital platforms, renewable energy, green economy and extending development cooperation to third countries,” the readout said.
Misri and Bagger also held in-depth discussions on key regional and global issues. The discussions were an opportunity for both sides to take stock of bilateral ties and explore avenues for further deepening the bilateral strategic partnership ahead of the 7th India-Germany inter-governmental consultations, which are scheduled to be held in New Delhi in October.
{{/usCountry}}Misri and Bagger also held in-depth discussions on key regional and global issues. The discussions were an opportunity for both sides to take stock of bilateral ties and explore avenues for further deepening the bilateral strategic partnership ahead of the 7th India-Germany inter-governmental consultations, which are scheduled to be held in New Delhi in October.
{{/usCountry}}The two sides also welcomed the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Conference of German Businesses scheduled to be held in New Delhi around the inter-governmental consultations and expressed hope it will lead to intensification of business-to-business collaboration.
Bagger also met external affairs minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and defence secretary Giridhar Aramane.
The inter-governmental consultations are a discussion format that Germany conducts with only a few select partners. The last consultations were held in Berlin in 2022. One of the key pillars of the India-Germany strategic partnership is a shared interest in strengthening multilateral cooperation and promoting stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.