It is most heartening to note that India and Germany have just recently on November 1 signed wide-ranging agreements to deepen the strategic cooperation between both the countries and also exchanged notes on ways to boost the bilateral trade between the two. As we all know, just recently on October 31, German Chancellor Angela Merkel accompanied by several Cabinet colleagues and a business delegation arrived in New Delhi on a three-day official visit. PM Narendra Modi while addressing a joint news conference along with the German leader said plainly that, “We’re encouraging our private sectors to give an impetus to our growing bilateral trade and Chancellor Merkel and I will meet some of the top business and industry leaders.”
Truth be told, the bilateral trade between the two countries rose to $24.06 billion in 2018-19 from $22 billion the previous year while German companies have invested nearly $12 billion in India since 2000. There is still considerable scope for further improvement. It must be mentioned here that Eric Schweitzer who is the President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry had earlier said that India had enormous potential but there has been uncertainty among companies after an investment protection agreement between the two countries ended in 2016.
Needless to say, it must also be mentioned here that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had tweeted about the visit of German Chancellor mentioning that, “Enriching the strategic texture of our relationship, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had arrived in Delhi beginning her State visit to India during which she, along with PM @ narendramodi will co-chair the 5th IGC (Inter Governmental Consultations). This would be the 5th meeting between the leaders within a year.”
Before proceeding ahead, it would certainly be worthwhile to discuss briefly the 17 pacts/agreements/memorandum of understandings (MoU) that were signed between the two countries. They are as follows:-
1. Implementing Arrangement for Exchange of Personnel between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and German Aerospace Centre.
2. Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in the Field of Civil Aviation.
3. Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation within the International Smart Cities Network.
4. Joint Declaration of Intent between on Cooperation in the Field of Skills Development and Vocational Education and Training.
5. Declaration of Intent on Strengthening Economic Cooperation in the field of Start-ups.
6. Joint Declaration of Intent on the Establishment of Bilateral Cooperation Project regarding Agricultural Market Development.
7. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the field of Occupational Diseases, Re-habilitation and vocational training of Insured Persons and workers with disabilities.
8. Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in Inland, Coastal and Maritime Technology.
9. Memorandum of Understanding to promote, establish and expand scientific and technological research cooperation.
10. Memorandum of Understanding on establishment of an academic collaboration in ayurveda, yoga and meditation.
11. Addendum to the MoU between India and Germany on cooperation in the field of higher education for extension of the period of Indo-German Partnership in Higher Education from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2024.
12. MoU between National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management – MANAGE and the German Agricultural Academy – DEULA in the city of Nienburg in Germany on collaboration in agricultural, technical and professional training.
13. Joint Declaration of Intent between Siemens Limited, India and MSDE and German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development on Skills for Sustainable Growth.
14. MoU on the extension of Indo-German Partnership in Higher Education.
15. MoU regarding cooperation between the National Museum, the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Indian Museum Kolkata, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Stiftung Humboldt Forum in Berliner Schloss.
16. MoU between All India Football Federation (AIFF) and DeutscherFuBball-Bund e.V (DFB).
17. Statement of Intent on the key elements of the Indo-German Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement.
Apart from these, five joint declarations of intent, including cooperation on strategic projects, partnership for green urban mobility, research and development on artificial intelligence and cooperation prevention of marine litter were also signed. Merkel also identified “artificial intelligence” and “digital transformation” as an area of cooperation. While lauding India, she said that, “India has a huge potential here especially when it comes to digitalization. But the development is very fast as when it comes to 5G and AI. It’s a challenge and if we work together, this would be a wonderful way of cooperation. It’s also about trade, innovation, investment and knowledge.”
It is most heartening and refreshing to note that in a new and more robust joint statement from the one issued two years ago, both India and Germany were on the same page in describing terrorism as a “global scourge” and called for a “halt to cross border movement of terrorists” and asked all the countries to work towards disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels. It also said that, “The leaders underlined the need for all countries to ensure that their territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries in any manner.” The joint statement was issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The joint statement as said earlier is far more stronger than the one issued in May 2017 when PM Narendra Modi had visited Germany and it needs no rocket science to conclude that it is palpably aimed at Pakistan which is the fountainhead of all terror activity and mother of all terrorists!
It also clearly conveys that Germany has now certainly moved closer to India’s valid position on Afghanistan as they both agreed on the need for “dismantling of terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries”. PM Modi also reiterated that, “We have resolved to intensify bilateral and multilateral cooperation to deal with terrorism and extremism.” But this is still not enough.
It is high time and European countries like Germany must understand that India has tolerated terrorism and proxy war operated directly from Pakistan to shocking level, declaring stupid, shameless and senseless ‘Ramzan ka ceasefire’ repeatedly for terrorists and Pakistan many times unilaterally who use it as an opportunity to re-group, re-arm and re-kill Indians most mercilessly which under no circumstances can ever be justified by any self-respecting nation and still Pakistan is not ready to amend its way in any manner! Yet we are asked repeatedly to extend the “peace hand” towards Pakistan by European countries only to be stabbed repeatedly! It is Pakistan’s proxy war that India has to deploy so much force in Kashmir and curb all type of movement of ordinary people as terrorists are always ready to exploit any opportunity which they get to strike at India!
This is what countries like Germany never appreciates which is most hurting and keep advising India that, “We hope that India and Pakistan will find a peaceful solution together. The situation for the people on the ground as of now is not good for the long-term, this certainly has to change.” What the German Chanellor Merkel perhaps ignore is what is blindingly obvious that clapping cannot be done with one hand alone and Pakistan is not ready to cooperate with India in any manner and its stated policy is to “inflict thousands cuts on India from every side”! But let’s hope that good sense will prevail upon Germany as well as other European countries who have always turned a blind eye to it till now them in the days to come! We need to be more proactive in conveying our strong point on this score!
On a different note, it must be said with some degree of satisfaction that while referring to the need for presenting a united front in the fight against terror, the two leaders – Modi and Merkel called for the finalization and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in March 2020. While the CCIT was mentioned in the 2017 statement, this is the first time that a deadline has been specified which has to be applauded and appreciated in no uncertain terms! This is a very key step in the right direction!
While agreeing to continue cooperation within the framework of the Joint Working Group on counter-terrorism, they also spelt out specific areas this time: “information and intelligence sharing on terror networks” and experiences on dealing with the growing phenomenon of “radicalisation”. The two leaders also asked officials on both sides to schedule the next meeting of this working group at the earliest.
On defence cooperation, the joint statement said that Germany will work towards facilitating “export of military equipment as well as technology sharing” with India. In another key upgrade, it also sought deeper cooperation between the defence industries of both countries to take advantage of “defence corridors set up in the states of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh” under the Make in India initiative. The two sides also decided to establish regular dialogue between their defence ministers, alternately in India and in Germany, at least once every two years.
Going forward, the two sides also agreed to “deepen efforts to restart” stalled negotiations between India and European Union (EU) on the Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA). Negotiations have been held up since May 2013 after both sides failed to bridge gaps on crucial issues. But with this we hope that now the deadlock will end and adequate progress will be made in this direction also!
On Afghanistan, India welcomed Germany’s efforts at co-organising an Intra-Afghan Dialogue that includes the government and ensures an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. The joint statement stated that, “They called for a cessation of violence; breaking of all ties to international terrorism; dismantling of terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries; preservation of the Constitutional order and the respect for the universal human rights of all Afghan citizens as enshrined in the Constitution. Germany appreciated India’s contribution in development cooperation and rebuilding of Afghanistan. The leaders underlined that the Heart of Asia-Istanbul process as well as the International Contact Group for Afghanistan remain important formats for regional and international confidence building and political cooperation.”
Striking the right note, Merkel said that, “While economic relations have increased, they could be intensified even more”, while referring to the fast-track mechanisms. She also underscored that, “We can bring some cases where difficulties have occurred in terms of economic investments. We could really find help here quickly and make India a modern industrialised nation.” There can be no denying it!
To put things in perspective, while underlining that Indo-German relations are progressing well, President Ram Nath Kovind said that they needed to strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism and coordinate their positions at meetings of the Financial Action Task Force which is an intergovernmental organisation to combat money laundering. He also said that, “Terrorism is a global threat that must be fought jointly by the world community and terrorist safe havens eliminated in every part of the world.” What is most depressing to note is that countries like USA and UK are only keen to eliminate those terror leaders like Osama bin Laden and ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who are direct threat to their nation but are just not bothered to eliminate all those terror leaders like Hafiz Saeed who is chief of Laskar-e-Taiba, Masood Azhar who is chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad, Syed Salaluddin who is chief of Hizbul Mujahideen along with many others who are openly enjoying official state patronage in Pakistan yet no European country nor US nor UN is doing anything to address it! They feel that they are not directly affected by them so why should they bother? The supreme irony is that Taliban has still not been declared a terror organization which since last more than 30 years has been regularly killing innocents as also American forces, UK forces along with others but wastes no time in declaring a Balochistan organization as a terror organization just because Pakistan wanted them to do so! If this is not “worst hypocrisy” then what else is I just fail to understand!
While welcoming German Chancellor Angela Merkel to India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Kovind said that, “Both countries were rightful claimants to a permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council. In this regard, our cooperation as part of G-4 is important.” The chances of Germany are bright because it has no nation that is deadly opposed to it! But China which is implacably opposed to India and also controls a huge area of Jammu and Kashmir illegally transferred by Pakistan to it is just not prepared to concede for it under any circumstances! This despite the fact that former Indian PM late Jawaharlal Nehru always rooted for China to get permanent seat in the UN Security Council. But China has never reciprocated and instead stabbed us in 1962 by suddenly attacking us and occupying a large part of our territory which is still under their control! But we can hope that Germany will build a strong case for India to get a permanent seat in the UN Security Council!
It is also good to note that on a day public health emergency was declared in the Delhi-NCR region, Angela Merkel said Germany will spend one billion euros (nearly Rs 8000 crore) in the next five years on green urban mobility projects in India over the next five years including 200 million euros to replace diesel buses in Tamil Nadu state which shall control pollution to a great extent. What was striking to note is that Chancellor Angela Merkel and PM Narendra Modi both had ignored the declared public health emergency and did not wear any masks. Both countries have certainly come a long way in deepening the relations but still there is a lot of way to go and one hopes that in coming years we would see the bond getting deeper between both the countries!
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,
Meerut – 250001, Uttar Pradesh.
Eduindex News 