NEW DELHI: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will pay a three-day visit to Germany starting on Tuesday to finalize a bilateral defense industrial roadmap.
The officials said that the roadmap will provide a framework for the two countries to begin joint development and joint production of various military equipment.
In Berlin, Singh will hold wide-ranging talks with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius and other senior leaders.
“Discussions will focus on enhancing defense industrial cooperation, enhancing military-to-military engagements, and exploring opportunities in emerging areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and drones,” the Defense Ministry said ahead of Singh’s trip.
“A roadmap for defense industrial cooperation and implementation arrangements for cooperation in training for UN peacekeeping operations are likely to be signed in the presence of the two defense ministers,” she added.
Defense and security relations between the two countries are also witnessing a noticeable improvement. With the relaxation of export controls and speedy clearance of cases, defense exports from Germany to India have increased.
There is a possibility that the two Defense Ministers will also finalize an intergovernmental agreement to supply six stealth submarines to the Indian Navy.
German defense major ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd are in price negotiations with the Defense Ministry for a €5 billion deal to supply six stealth submarines to the Indian Navy.
The deal is being described as one of the biggest ‘Make in India’ projects in recent years.
The Defense Ministry said Singh’s visit will provide an opportunity to review ongoing defense cooperation and identify new avenues of cooperation between the defense industries of the two countries.
Singh is also expected to interact with key representatives of the German defense industry, with the aim of promoting joint development and co-production under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
This visit of the Minister of Defense comes after a break of seven years.
The last visit by an Indian Defense Minister to Germany was Nirmala Sitharaman in February 2019.
Pistorius had visited India in June 2023 and held extensive talks with Singh. PTI
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