Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel co-chaired the 5th Indo-German Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) to strengthen the “very close” relationship between the two countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on 1st November co-chaired the 5thIndo-German Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) to strengthen the “very close” relationship between the two countries.
Prime Minister Modi received Merkel at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where she was conferred a ceremonial welcome. She offered a wreath at Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi at Rajghat, New Delhi.
The IGC is a unique broad-format dialogue chaired by both leaders with members of cabinet participating from the two sides. Germany holds this kind of intensive regular talks only with a small number of states with which important bilateral relations exist, such as Spain, Turkey, Brazil and China. The first IGC with India took place in 2011. Twenty-two pacts or agreements were signed between two countries after the talks, as reported by DD News.
“Germany-India are linked by very close ties. We will have discussions on issues of mutual interest. We also have the opportunity of signing a number of MoUs and agreements that shows that we have a very broad-based and deep relationship,” Merkel said, reported by The Economic Times. In their communication, both leaders reiterated their determination to further intensify bilateral trade and investment. Under the title of “Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Growth and a Reliable International Order”, their joint statement describes the importance that both Germany and India attach to a socially responsible and environment-friendly economic development. In it, both prime ministers underline that “the private sector can contribute substantively to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals” and highlight their commitment to sustainable supply chains and the protection of human rights in businesses.
Further joint activities that are praised are the “Make in India Mittelstand” (MIIM) programme, facilitating over 135 German family-owned companies with an investment of more than 1.2 billion Euros in India, and the Germany India Startup Exchange Program (GINSEP), promoting exchange between the countries’ startup ecosystems.
With more than 1,700 German companies operating in India, a free trade pact could help minimise the uncertainty experienced by German investors after an investment protection agreement between the two countries ended in 2016, as reported by The Straits Times.
For more information on the “Strategic Partnership”, please see the “List of MoUs/Agreements” here. For a more detailed “Joint Statement”, please see here.
For the full coverage, please see IGE 6 2019.