The Editorial Analysis: Setting sail for a powerful India-German partnership

India Germany partnership: Relevance

• GS 2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

India Germany relation: Context

• Recently, a German Navy frigate called Bayern, landed in India. It marks a significant achievement in the history of India-Germany relations.

India-German partnership: Key points

• Indo-pacific region has become a hotbed for the various countries, recent times.
• Germany too wants to play an active role in the region when it unveiled Indo-Pacific Policy Guidelines, and it visualises India as a key player, strategic partner and long-standing democratic friend at the hub.
• Other than Germany’s own Indo-pacific policy, European Unio too has its Indo-Pacific Strategy that was published last year.
• Converging point: Both India and Germany are of the view that trade routes stay open, freedom of navigation is upheld and that disputes are resolved peacefully on the basis of international law.
• India is a maritime powerhouse and a strong advocate for free and inclusive trade — and, therefore, a primary partner on that mission.

About Indo-pacific region

• The Indo-Pacific region is home to around 65% of the global population and 20 of the world’s 33 megacities.
• The region accounts for 62% of global GDP and 46% of the world’s merchandise trade.
• However, the region is also the source of more than half of all global carbon emissions.
  • This makes the region’s countries key partners in tackling global challenges such as climate change and sustainable energy production and consumption.
• More than 20% of German trade is conducted in the Indo-Pacific neighbourhood, and it is why Germany and India need to have a common vision to maintain and support stability, prosperity and freedom in this part of the world.

German projects in India

• Germany invests around €1.3 billion a year in development projects, 90% of which serves the purpose of fighting climate change, saving natural resources as well as promoting clean and green energy.
• Germany have been supporting the construction of a huge solar plant in Maharashtra’s Dhule (Sakri). With a capacity of 125 Megawatt, it serves 2,20,000 households and generates annual CO2 savings of 155,000 tons.

India Germany relation: Way forward

• Both leaders have agreed to step up their cooperation to tackle common challenges, with climate change on top of the agenda.
• While Germany will host the G7 meeting in 2022, India will host the G20 meeting in the same year. Both countries have an opportunity for joint and coordinated action.

Also Read:

Sharing is caring!