 "Defence secy Rajesh Singh meets German Delegate Schwarz, highlights ties")
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh engaged in discussions with German Parliamentarians in the national capital on Tuesday, highlighting the ties between India and Germany.
The delegation, led by Andreas Schwarz included rapporteurs of Germany's budget committee on defence.
Sharing details of the interaction, the Ministry of Defence posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh interacted with German Parliamentarians, the rapporteurs of the budget committee of defence led by Mr Andreas Schwarz, in New Delhi today."
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held a meeting with members of the German Parliament in the national capital on Tuesday and emphasised the significance of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership. During the meeting, he discussed global issues of mutual importance with German lawmakers - Andreas Schwarz, Ingo Gadechens, Gesine Lotzsch, Sebastian Schafer.
The engagement is seen as part of continued efforts to strengthen ties across various sectors, reflecting the mutual respect and collaborative aspirations shared by both countries.
India and Germany have maintained strong relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1951. The partnership was elevated to a 'Strategic Partnership' in May 2000, further deepened by the Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC) framework launched in 2011. The IGC enables high-level reviews of cooperation and identifies new areas of collaboration. India is among a select group of countries with which Germany engages through such a mechanism. The 6th IGC took place in Berlin in May 2022, and the 7th IGC is scheduled later this year.
Germany remains one of India's most critical partners in Europe, given its influential role within the European Union. The bilateral relationship also benefits from a thriving Indian diaspora in Germany, which numbers approximately 2.46 lakh as of December 2023. This includes professionals in IT, banking, finance, and healthcare, as well as researchers, students, and entrepreneurs, who play a vital role in fostering connections between the two nations.