India, Germany to talk on Afghanistan, India-EU FTA, terror

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will leave for Germany tomorrow on a three-day visit during which he will hold comprehensive talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on key bilateral, international and regional issues including India-EU FTA, Afghanistan and counter-terrorism.
The visit will provide an opportunity to both sides to review the status of bilateral ties and discuss ways to enhance their cooperation in trade and investment with Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai maintaining that Singh will also clarify to the German leader the large number of steps and reforms taken up by his government to improve investment climate.
He also said India is expecting a "strong political thrust" from Germany, a key member of the 27-nation European bloc for early inking of the India-EU pact.

"We are of the view that early conclusion of India-EU agreement will open up new economic opportunities to both sides and certainly that applies to the way we approach our economic engagements with Germany.
"The negotiations have reached an advanced stage and in fact there will another round of negotiations on April 15 when it will be taken forward. We will certainly be discussing the matter with the German side. We expect a strong political thrust from Germany for an early conclusion of the agreement," the Foreign Secretary said.
Mathai said in addition to the Ministers accompanying the Prime Minister, the National Security Advisor, who is part of the delegation, will address security-related issues and hold a strategic dialogue during the visit.

Singh, who will be co-chairing the second round of Inter Governmental Consultations with the German Chancellor, will utilise this opportunity to "clarify the steps taken by India to improve the investment climate in our country. And that the reforms process is on track," he said.
He also said progress in a number of areas of bilateral cooperation has been made and the two sides will be entering into some agreements and memorandum of understanding, including vocational education, science and technology, and clean energy.