German Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel paid an official visit to India to attend the third Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) in New Delhi.
During the IGC meet, the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the German Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel agreed to steer the Strategic Partnership between India and Germany into a new phase by building on their growing convergence on foreign and security issues and on the complementarities between the two economies.
They welcomed the intensification of high-level engagement since the last IGC in 2013, with Prime Minister Modi’s visits to Berlin and Hanover last April, and several Ministerial visits from both sides.
They committed to maintaining the momentum of exchanges in the next two years. They noted that, fifteen years into the Strategic Partnership, Indo-German cooperation is founded on common democratic principles, marked by trust and mutual respect and geared towards building stability, prosperity and sustainable development through closer dialogue and cooperation in security, enhanced trade and investment, partnerships in manufacturing, skilling, clean energy, infrastructure, innovation and education.
India and Germany agreed to strengthen their cooperation on migration issues, bilaterally and internationally. Bearing in mind that Germany will be co-chairing the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in 2017/18, they emphasized the role of international organizations and forums like the GFMD as facilitating actors in finding common answers to pressing migration issues.
In order to intensify the exchange of views on issues of common concern, both sides agreed to establish a new Policy Planning Dialogue between their Foreign Ministries. They also agreed to institute collaboration between the Foreign Service Institute of India and the Foreign Service Academy of Germany to facilitate more exchanges between young diplomats from both countries.
Both leaders noted new opportunities for German companies in the urban development sector offered by India’s initiative on 100 Smart Cities. Germany has provided 360 million Euros for sustainable urban development in 2015. The leaders welcomed the recent convening of the Joint Working Group on Sustainable Urban Development and noted that it could serve as a forum to help identify one or more cities for bilateral collaboration.
Following Declarations/Agreements/MoU’s were signed between India & Germany during the visit:
- Joint Declaration of Intent between the Ministry of Human Resource Development of India and the Federal Foreign Office of the Germany regarding the Promotion of German as a Foreign Language in India and the Promotion of Modern Indian Languages in Germany.
- Summary Record of the Negotiations on Development Cooperation between India & Germany.
- MOU between the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India on Indo-German Development Cooperation Regarding the Indo-German Solar Energy Partnership.
- Joint Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of India, on one Hand, and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, on the other Hand, on Cooperation in the Field of Skill Development and Vocational Education and Training.
- MOU between the Ministry of Home Affairs of India and the Federal Ministry of the Interior of the Germany on Security Cooperation.
- MOU between the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India and the Federal Ministry of the Interior of the Germany on Aviation Security.
- Joint Declaration of Intent between the Ministry of Home Affairs of India and the Federal Ministry of the Interior of Germany on Cooperation in the Field of Disaster Management.
- Joint Declaration between the Ministry of Science and Technology (India) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany) on the extension of the tenure of the Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC).
- MOU between University Grants Commission (UGC), India and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Germany on Indo-German Partnerships in Higher Education (IGP).
- Joint Declaration of Intent between the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, (MoA&FW) India and the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) of Germany on Plant Protection Products.
- Joint Declaration of Intent on the further Development of the Cooperation in the Field of Railways between the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of Germany and the Ministry of Railways of India.
- MOU between the Department of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Government of India, and Fraunhofer Society, Germany on cooperation in the field of manufacturing.
- Joint Announcement on setting up a Fast-Track system for German companies in India.
- Joint Declaration between Germany and India on the continuation of the cooperation in the field of advanced training of corporate executives and junior executives from India.
- Joint Statement of Intent on Cooperation in Food Safety between the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
- Joint Statement of Intent between the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) on Cooperation in Food Safety.
- MOU between the German Agribusiness Alliance and Agriculture Skill Council of India (ASCI) on Cooperation in Agricultural Studies.
- Letter of Intent between the Department of Science and Technology, India (DST), the Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings (Council), and the Foundation Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings (Foundation) on supporting participation of Indian young scientists in Natural Sciences for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.
