Lok Sabha Question No. 5749 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-04
Subject: Adoption of "Focus on India" Document by German Cabinet
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. C M Ramesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 5749

## ANSWERED ON- 04/04/2025

ADOPTION OF 'FOCUS ON INDIA' DOCUMENT BY GERMAN CABINET

5749. DR. C M RAMESH

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

(a) whether 'Focus on India' document was adopted by the German Cabinet, if so, the details thereof;

(b) the extent to which the above document would help India;

(c)   whether   Inter-Governmental   Consultations   between   two countries were held in October last year; and

(d) if so, the details and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) Yes. German Cabinet adopted 'Focus on India' document on 16 October 2024. The document outlines a comprehensive strategy for deepening Germany's strategic partnership with India, emphasizing India's role as a democratic partner for stability and security in a shifting   global   landscape.   It   also   highlights   intensifying   security cooperation,   Green   and   Sustainable   Development   Partnership, economic,   trade   and   agricultural   cooperation,   science   and technology   and   academic   linkages,   multilateral   cooperation, intensifying   exchange   across   society   as   a   whole   including parliamentary contacts, skilled immigration, and overall relations of India with the EU.

(b) The document highlights the intention of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany to focus on its relationship with India, identifying India as the partner of choice for Germany. Both sides are celebrating the 25 th year of Strategic Partnership in 2025 and have intensified cooperation across various sectors ranging from trade and investments, defence and security, science and technology, education and mobility, culture and people-to-people ties. During the year 2023-24, Indo-German trade recorded highest ever   figures   with   33.5   billion   USD.   Around   50   thousand   Indian

students studying in Germany, a number which has doubled in the last   5   years,  are   now   the   largest   cohort   of   foreign   students   in Germany.

(c) & (d) Yes. The 7 th Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) was held on 25 October 2024 in New Delhi, during the visit of Chancellor Olaf   Scholz   of   Germany.   The   IGC   plenary   chaired   by   PM   and Chancellor Olaf Scholz was preceded by focused Ministerial tracks on Foreign Policy & Security; Economy and Commerce; Green and Sustainable   Development   Partnership,   Critical   and   Emerging Technologies and Innovation; Mobility and People-to-People ties; and Science and Technology. IGC Plenary and Ministerial meetings took stock of various aspects of our Strategic Partnership and discussed way forward in further deepening and diversifying the same. There were substantive outcomes in the areas of new and emerging technologies, defence & security, economy and trade, clean and green energy, health, triangular development cooperation, skilling, education &   research, urban mobility, startups, environment among others. The complete list of outcomes of the 7 th IGC is enclosed.

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## Annexure-I

## List of Outcomes of the 7 th India - Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations

## [25 October 2024, New Delhi]

## I. DOCUMENTS CONCLUDED

|   S.No. | Documents                                                                                                                                              | Areas                         |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|       1 | Roadmap on Innovation and Technology                                                                                                                   | New and Emerging Technologies |
|       2 | Launch of Green Hydrogen Roadmap document                                                                                                              | Green Energy                  |
|       3 | Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in Criminal Matters                                                                                              | Security                      |
|       4 | Agreement on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information (Initial)                                                                    | Security                      |
|       5 | JDI on Green Urban Mobility Partnership-II                                                                                                             | Urban Mobility                |
|       6 | JDI on 2+2 Calls for Advanced Materials under IGSTC                                                                                                    | Science & Technology          |
|       7 | MoU between Max-Planck-Gesellschaft e.V. (MPG) and International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) | Science & Technology          |
|       8 | MoU between Max-Planck-Gesellschaft e.V. (MPG) and 12 ptNational Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)  | Science & Technology          |
|       9 | JDI on Innovation and Incubation Exchange Programme between DST and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)                                            | Start-ups                     |
|      10 | MoU between Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and                                                                         | Environment & Science         |

|    | German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) on Disaster Mitigation                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |                       |
|----|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| 11 | MoU on Polar and Ocean Research between National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) and Alfred-Wegener Institute Helmholtz Zentrum fuer Polar and Meeresforschung (AWI)                                                                                                               | Environment & Science |
| 12 | JDI for Collaborative Research and Development in Infectious Disease Genomics between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR - IGIB) and Leipzig University                                                                       | Health                |
| 13 | JDI for the partnership on Mobile Suitcase Lab for Diagnostic purposes between Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR - IGIB), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Leipzig University and Industry partners in India | Health                |
| 14 | JDI on India-Germany Managerial Training Program (IGMTP)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       | Economy & Commerce    |
| 15 | MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Skill Development and Vocational Education and Training                                                                                                                                                                                                     | Skill Development     |
| 16 | Joint Declaration of Intent of Labour and Employment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Labour & Employment   |
| 17 | JDI between IIT Kharagpur and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to implement co-funded Joint Research Programme 'German India Academic Network for Tomorrow (GIANT)'                                                                                                                     | Education & Research  |
| 18 | Memorandum of Agreement between IIT Madras and TU Dresden to establish an intensified partnership known as 'TransCampus'                                                                                                                                                                       | Education & Research  |

## II. KEY ANNOUNCEMENTS

|   19. | Placing a German Liaison Officer in the IFC-IOR                                                                                                                         |
|-------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    20 | German support for India's Observer status in the Eurodrone programme                                                                                                   |
|    21 | German projects and funding commitment of 20 Mn Euros under Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)                                                                       |
|    22 | Establishing Regional Consultations between the Foreign offices of India and Germany (Africa, West Asia and North Africa)                                               |
|    23 | Millet related Pilot projects in Madagascar and Ethiopia and full scale projects in Cameroon, Ghana and Malawi under Triangular Development Cooperation (TDC) framework |
|    24 | Launch of GSDP Dashboard                                                                                                                                                |
|    25 | Establishment of first International Research Training Group between India and Germany                                                                                  |

## III. Events

|   26. | Holding of the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2024)                                                             |
|-------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|    27 | Holding of a Defence Round Table on the sidelines of the APK 2024                                                                     |
|    28 | Indo Pacific Deployment of German Naval ships: Joint exercises between Indian and German Navies and Port calls of German ships in Goa |

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