By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday highlighted India’s growth, stated “This is the time and correct time to get involved in India’s growth story,” during his address.
Modi and Chancellor, Olaf Scholz called to deepen the bilateral ties in vital sectors between India and Germany as they addressed the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2024.
He stressed on the potential for a fruitful partnership between the two nations and affirmed, “When India’s dynamism and Germany’s precision meet, when Germany’s engineering and India’s innovation meet and when Germany’s technology and India’s talent meet, it ensures a better future for the world, including the Indo-Pacific.”
“You all are in the business world and you have the mantra of ‘When we meet, we mean business,” he added.
Modi met Chancellor at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, official residence here, outlined the country’s growth pillars and also emphasized the vital role of AI and ‘Aspirational India’ at the conference.
He said India stands on the four strong pillars of democracy, demography, demand and data. In fact, talent, technology, innovation and infrastructure are the tools of India’s growth, he added.
Modi said to drive them all, one strong force is there in India — AI –Aspirational India and Artificial Intelligence — this double power is there in India…India is working on the needs of the future world.
They hailed the strengthening ties between the two nations, cited recent collaborations as evidence of their deepening friendship.
He said, “On one hand, the CEO Forum meeting is being held here, on the other hand, our navies are practising together. German naval ships are on a port call in Goa. And in a short while from now, the seventh inter-governmental consultations between India and Germany are also to be organized.”
“That is, the friendship between India and Germany is deepening at every step, on every front,” he added.
He said that this year marks the completion of 25 years of India-Germany strategic partnership and added that the next 25 years are going to take this partnership to new heights. “This year is the 25th year of India-Germany Strategic Partnership. The next 25 years are going to take this partnership to new heights. We have prepared a roadmap for a developed India in the coming 25 years,” Modi said.
The release of the “Focus on India” document by the German Cabinet, which outlines how two strong democracies and leading economies can cooperate for global good, he also expressed confidence that Germany’s decision to increase visas for skilled Indians will boost its growth.
“Germany has decided to increase the number of visas given to skilled Indians every year from 20 thousand to 90 thousand. I am confident that this will give a new impetus to Germany’s growth,” he said.
“Our mutual trade has reached a level of more than 30 billion dollars. Today, on one hand, hundreds of German companies are in India, while Indian companies are also rapidly increasing their presence in Germany. Today, India is becoming the biggest centre of diversification and de-risking. India is also becoming a hub of global trade and manufacturing. In such a situation, this is the most appropriate time for you to Make in India, Make for the World,” he added.
Scholz, is on a two-day visit here, urged for a collective action by countries to do whatever they can to bring about political solutions to resolving global conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and West Asia crisis, based on international law and principles of the UN Charter.
He said that the world of the 21st century “is something where progress is the question we have to work for. In a multipolar world there are no global policemen, no single watchdog monitoring our common rules and institutions, each and every one of us is called upon to defend and uphold them.”
Scholz emphasized on the importance of strengthened bilateral relations between the two nations, particularly in areas such as defence, trade, and clean energy, the German Chancellor said, “We need more cooperation, not less.”
“Our intergovernmental consultation with India, we also want to deepen our cooperation on defense and agree to bring our militaries closer together, our overall message is clear, we need more cooperation, not less,” he said.
Chancellor Scholz said in his address to the conference ”we are meeting in the world’s biggest democracy. The fastest-growing major economy in the world with the most rapidly expanding renewable energy sector of any major economy.”
Scholz and PM Modi inaugurated the conference today in the national capital.
Chancellor Scholz is attending the 7th Intergovernmental Consultations, a biannual meeting involved ministers from both countries.
Scholz held key bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi.
He wrote in his post on social media platform X, “In this world we need friends and allies just like India and Germany,” he added “Dear @narendramodi, thank you for your warm welcome in New Delhi”.
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