New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel participated in the third India-Germany Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC) in New Delhi on Monday.
India and Germany inked 18 MoUs for cooperation in various fields including higher education, civil aviation, railways and food safety
Here are the highlights from the Joint statement of the two leaders:
Merkel: We work together in combating terrorism, cyber security, defence, arms cooperation, all based on a broad foundation.
Merkel: We were taking stock of political issues, realised the world is full of conflicts. Will intensify our cooperation in this as well.
Merkel: India, Germany are both working towards peaceful diplomatic solutions to conflict rather than military ones.
Merkel: Exploring and developing rural areas in India will be a focus
Merkel: German-Indian economic relations are dynamic.
Merkel: The sheer variety and history of India’s culture & civilisation is impressive.
Merkel: We made the best possible use of time, we have been able to sign so many agreements.
Merkel: Make In India initiative is ambitious & we are proud to support it.
Merkel: Young Indians are highly skilled
Merkel: Economic relation between these two countries is of great importance.
Merkel: Fast track agreement to help German businesses by speeding up licensing process
Chancellor Merkel starts with her statement.
PM Modi closes Press Statement, says that in this age of transitions and turmoil.
A heritage restored. PM @narendramodi and Chancellor Merkel with the statue of Durga in her Mahishasurmardini avatar pic.twitter.com/iy5829elYu
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) October 5, 2015
Modi: I am confident that after this extraordinary session, the tree of our friendship will blossom.
Modi: I place great value on Germany’s assistance of over 1 bn Euros each for India’s Green Energy Corridor & for solar projects
Modi: To combat temperature we must also change our temperament.
Modi: Inter-Governmental consultations has turned to be important for our ties.
Modi: I welcome Germany’s strong support for India’s membership of the international export control regimes.
Modi: India and Germany can be partner to give sustainable future to the world.
Modi: German engineering and Indian IT skills can create the next industry.
Modi: In a world of seamless challenges and opportunities, India and Germany can be strong partners
Modi: We see Germany as a natural partner in achieving India’s transformation.
From Renewable Energy to Skill Devel't & Culture, the full spectrum of human endeavour in the 18 MoUs signed today pic.twitter.com/59bcGlScfZ
— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) October 5, 2015
Modi compliments Angela Merkel on her handling of the European refugee crisis.
Modi: On behalf of the people of India, I warmly congratulate Germany on the 25th anniversary of German reunification.
India and Germany are strategic partners since 2001.
The German Chancellor’s visit to New Delhi comes around six months after Modi’s tour to Germany in April.
Germany is India’s largest trading partner in European Union and the seventh largest foreign investor in India.
The overall exchange of goods and services between the two countries was valued at around around 15.96 billion euros last year, a drop of 1.14 billion euros from the level of 16.10 billion euros registered in 2013.
While India’s exports to Germany rose marginally to 7.03 billion euros in 2014, its German imports dropped to 8.92 billion euros from 9.19 euros in the previous year.
More than 1,600 Indo-German collaborations and around 600 Indo-German joint ventures are currently in operation.