Germany pitches for closer ties with India

Germany today pitched for deepening its partnership with India, especially in the field of cyberspace, maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean and defence production including that of submarines.
Visiting German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning, said the issues at hand are hybrid warfare, trans-national terrorism, 'multi-national jihad' and cyber attacks.
"The list will certainly be extended as you know. These are issues which don't concern only a nation but are also global concerns," Leyen said addressing a talk, organised by think tank Observer Research Foundation.
Underlining that Germany and Europe are dependent on secure trade routes, access to markets and stable international order, she said Berlin wants "close dialogue with India as a partner".

"For example, the Indian Ocean, between the Suez Canal and the Strait of Malacca, is one the key highways of globalisation," she said, adding Indian Ocean is becoming more and more crucial for her country's security policy.
Asked about increasing Chinese pressure tactics in the area, she said if one looks at Indian Ocean and South China Sea, 40 per cent of the world's population lives there and approximately 50 per cent of international trade is going in that region.

"So there is a humongous interest of all nations worldwide, who are dependent on economic trade, to have an open sea... And, therefore, we have to very sensitive, and sensible too, about any attempts to dominate or close trade routres... The majority of nations are highly interested in keeping this region open. Of course this is in the interest of Germany too," she said.

The visiting Minister said there are many good reasons for India and Germany to work together in future. "I think our cooperation has greater potential... Together we would be able to make the world a better place to live in," she said.
She said there was a high interest on both sides to create a 'win-win situation'. She identified cyber security as a key area for cooperation.
Asked about the 'Make in India' initiative, she said Germany can collaborate on manufacturing of submarines, an issue which is understood to have come up for discussion during Leyen's meeting with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar here last evening.

"You don't want only to buy but you want a close cooperation by manufacturing and producing parts in India too, which I think is a very smart approach for both sides as close cooperation between strategic partners should never be a one way cooperation or collaboration," she said.