India-Germany Ties Gain Momentum Amid Global Uncertainty; Defence, Trade and Submarine Deal Take Centre Stage
German Ambassador Dr Jasper Wieck says Berlin sees India as an increasingly important partner as geopolitical uncertainty grows, with defence cooperation, the India-EU trade deal, skilled migration and technology emerging as key areas of engagement.
India and Germany are looking to deepen their strategic partnership at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, intensifying great-power competition and declining trust in international relations.
German Ambassador to India Dr Jasper Wieck has outlined defence and security cooperation, economic ties, labour mobility and people-to-people exchanges as key areas where Berlin wants to expand engagement with New Delhi.
Germany’s current focus also includes the proposed Project 75(I) submarine programme, greater defence technology cooperation and efforts to increase trade and investment through the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement.
Wieck said Germany’s own processes for the submarine agreement have been completed and Berlin is ready to proceed, with the proposal awaiting the completion of India’s internal approval process.
Wieck described the current international environment as increasingly unpredictable, pointing to the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s position in the Indo-Pacific as major geopolitical developments affecting the global strategic landscape.
Against this backdrop, Germany has identified three broad priorities for its engagement with India: economic cooperation, labour migration and student exchanges, and defence and security cooperation.
The German side also sees greater scope for Indian and German companies to work together on investment, technology and industrial partnerships.
The proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement is expected to play an important role in Germany’s economic engagement with India. Wieck said Germany expects the agreement to be signed by the end of 2026 and suggested that the pact could potentially help double India-Germany bilateral trade within five years.
Berlin also wants to facilitate stronger links between Indian and German companies so that businesses in both countries can make greater use of the opportunities created by the trade agreement.
Germany’s economic engagement with India comes alongside broader cooperation in areas including semiconductors, critical technologies and investment. India and Germany had earlier identified economic and defence industrial cooperation as key areas for strengthening bilateral ties.
The partnership is not limited to traditional trade and industry. Renewable energy, green hydrogen, environmental protection and sustainable development have emerged as important areas of cooperation between the two countries.
Technology is another growing pillar, with the India-Germany AI partnership offering scope for collaboration in research, innovation and emerging technologies. The two sides have also identified cooperation in critical and emerging technologies as part of the broader strategic relationship.
People-to-people connections remain another important component of India-Germany relations. Wieck said around 70,000 Indian students are currently enrolled at German universities, with the number continuing to rise.
Germany is also seeking to attract more skilled Indian professionals and improve mechanisms for labour migration. While student visa waiting times have improved, Wieck indicated that there is room for further acceleration, including through greater digitalisation of the process.
He also highlighted the value of learning the German language for Indians seeking employment or higher education opportunities in Germany.
Defence is emerging as one of the most significant areas of potential growth in the India-Germany relationship. Wieck said Germany sees opportunities for technology transfer, co-development and co-production with Indian defence companies.
The proposed cooperation could extend beyond individual platforms to areas such as unmanned systems, sensors and other advanced defence technologies.
Germany has also changed its approach to defence export clearances for India, with Wieck pointing to greater willingness to facilitate defence technology transfers and exports.
The broader defence relationship has been reinforced by the Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap agreed by the two countries.
One of the biggest developments in bilateral defence cooperation is the proposed Project 75(I) submarine programme.
The programme envisages Indian shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) working with German defence company Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) to build six next-generation conventional submarines in India, with substantial technology transfer.
According to Wieck, Germany has completed the necessary documentation and is ready to sign the government-to-government agreement. The proposal is now awaiting the completion of India’s internal approval procedures, including the necessary government clearances.
Germany has emphasised that the proposed programme is intended as a technology and industrial partnership, rather than simply an overseas purchase of submarines. The proposed arrangement would involve production in India and technology transfer, with the potential to support India’s wider maritime industrial ecosystem.
Wieck also pointed to opportunities for cooperation in unmanned systems, sensor technology, cybersecurity, missile technology and other advanced defence capabilities.
Military cooperation between the two countries is also expanding through exercises and operational engagement. Germany has participated in India’s military exercises, including the Indian Air Force’s Tarang Shakti with transport aircraft, while German naval cooperation has included participation in the Milan maritime exercise.
The two countries are also working to strengthen maritime cooperation and information-sharing, including through German participation in India’s maritime security architecture.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict remains an important point of discussion in India-Germany relations. Wieck said India could potentially contribute to efforts aimed at ending the conflict because of its long-standing relationship and channels of communication with Russia.
Germany, however, continues to support increased pressure on Moscow through sanctions and support for Ukraine. On India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, Wieck acknowledged India’s energy requirements and the scale of its population, while arguing that reducing purchases of Russian crude could reduce revenues available to Russia during the war.
He also noted that the wider geopolitical situation, including the conflict in West Asia, has added further complexity to global energy markets.
The European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is another issue with implications for India-Germany economic relations.
The mechanism is designed to address differences in carbon costs between European producers and imports and is expected to have an impact on carbon-intensive industries trading with the EU.
German officials have acknowledged concerns among Indian businesses and indicated that Germany is willing to share its experience and best practices as India develops its own approaches to carbon-related policies.
Germany has also pointed to European support for India’s transition towards cleaner energy and expressed readiness to cooperate in renewable energy and related technologies.
India and Germany are also aligned with Brazil and Japan under the G4 grouping in seeking reform of the United Nations Security Council. The four countries have long advocated changes to the Council’s structure to better reflect contemporary geopolitical realities.
Wieck said the G4 countries regard themselves as serious candidates for permanent membership of an expanded Security Council.
At the same time, he acknowledged the importance of addressing African representation in any future reform and ensuring that an expanded Council remains capable of functioning effectively.
From submarines and defence technology to trade, clean energy, artificial intelligence, student mobility and UN reform, the India-Germany relationship is expanding across a wide range of areas.
For Berlin, India is becoming an increasingly important partner amid a more uncertain international environment. For New Delhi, the growing German interest opens opportunities for deeper industrial, technological and defence cooperation.
The coming months could therefore be significant for several pending initiatives—including the India-EU FTA and Project 75(I)—as both countries look to translate their expanding strategic partnership into concrete economic and defence outcomes.
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