The German diplomat in India, Jasper Wick, stated at a press conference on Wednesday that relations between Germany and India are becoming increasingly important amid growing global uncertainty. Both countries aim to deepen cooperation in the fields of trade, defense, and labor mobility.
Wick announced that Germany is prepared to conclude an agreement with India worth $8 billion for the production of six modern conventional submarines. He specified that the documentation part of the deal has already been agreed upon by the German side, and it now remains for the Indian side to complete internal procedures. Germany is ready to sign the contract as early as tomorrow.
Under this agreement, the German defense contractor TKMS will collaborate with India's MDL, providing advanced submarine technology and design.
Characterizing the current global situation as an 'era of unpredictability,' Wick noted that Russia has 'destroyed trust and peace,' while the US 'constantly changes the rules of the game,' making closer interaction between India and Germany critically important.
Jasper Wick recently took office as the German ambassador to India and Bhutan. Among his three priorities as ambassador, he named the expected official signing of the APEC agreement between India and the European Union, labor migration, and defense cooperation.
Regarding India's ongoing purchases of Russian oil, Wick stated that Germany understands the energy needs of the country of 1.4 billion people, but emphasized that reducing such purchases would weaken Moscow's ability to finance the war in Ukraine. He added: 'If we stop buying oil from Russia, the financing of the war (in Ukraine) will cease.'
Concerning unresolved student visa issues, Wick reported that Germany is working to resolve this problem.