|
Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh today reaffirmed the Strategic
Partnership of Germany and India. Building upon the
'Agenda for the Indo-German Partnership in the 21st
Century', which both countries adopted in the year
2000, Germany and India will deepen their strategic
partnership based on shared democratic values and
basic common interests.
The Indo-German Strategic Partnership has seen
cooperation intensifying across the board, including
on the G4 initiative relating to the reform of the
United Nations Security Council. Both sides agree to
continue cooperation bilaterally and in the
framework of G4 for the strengthening of the
multilateral system and a reform of the United
Nations, including the reform of the UN Security
Council.
Trade, investment, scientific and technological
collaboration, including in the areas of
infrastructure, energy and high technology areas
such as space, form an important basis for the
partnership. Both sides aim to further deepen their
strategic and security dialogue and will work
towards an agreement on bilateral defence
co-operation.
Economic and trade relations between Germany and
India have flourished in recent years. India's
participation as the Partner Country in this year's
Hannover Messe reflects the growing interest in
India as a global economic partner and offers an
excellent opportunity to intensify bilateral
economic ties. Infrastructure and Energy provide
major areas of deepening engagement between the two
countries. The Indo-German Joint Commission on
Industrial and Economic Cooperation will continue to
focus on specific areas of cooperation for mutual
benefit. Both sides note with satisfaction that
bilateral trade is growing rapidly and that the
target of doubling the trade within five years,
which was set at the previous Summit meeting in New
Delhi in October 2004 is likely to be achieved much
earlier. Both sides recognize the significant role
of the small and medium enterprises in further
promoting the trade, investment and technology links
and agree to facilitate intensification of linkages
of such enterprises. They also note with
appreciation, the contribution of the Indo-German
Chamber of Commerce, which is celebrating its 50th
anniversary this year, to promote economic
cooperation between the two countries. They welcome
the opening of a German Trade Office in Bangalore,
which will further promote German trade and
investment in India. They also welcome the growing
trend of Indian investments in Germany.
In this context both sides commend the work of the
Indo-German Consultative Group and welcome their
recommendations for a further strengthening of our
overall relationship including our economic and
trade ties.
Both sides acknowledge the valuable contributions of
Indo-German development cooperation in wide-ranging
areas including energy, environmental policy,
sustainable economic development, health and
vocational training.
The establishment of an Indo-German Energy Forum at
Senior Officials level and including the private
sector highlights the importance accorded by both
countries to cooperate in this sector. The Energy
Forum will address strategic energy concerns
including energy security, efficient use of energy,
promotion of renewable energy sources and
environmentally friendly technologies, taking into
account the environmental challenges of sustainable
development.
The two sides also take note of the satisfactory
progress being made with regard to cooperation
between the EU and India in the energy sector and
the fact that the India-EU Joint Action Plan
finalized in September 2005 at the 6th EU-India
Summit in New Delhi, provides for cooperation on
achieving safe, secure, affordable and sustainable
energy supplies. India's participation in the ITER
initiative on fusion energy is an important part of
the ongoing energy cooperation.
Germany and India have established a long and
fruitful cooperation in Science and Technology. The
Indo-German Science Circle has given new impetus to
this cooperation and will further strengthen
contacts between scientific and academic
communities. Both sides expect that the newly
established office of the Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft in New Delhi will further add
to the close network of institutions between our two
countries. Both sides will work towards setting up
an Indo-German Science, Research and Technology
Centre at an early date. The Indian Council for
Medical Research and the Helmholtz Association of
German research centers are signing an MoU on
Research Cooperation in the field of biomedical
sciences.
Germany will place special emphasis on cooperation
in Science and Technology between Germany and India
during its Presidency of the European Union. Both
sides will work towards jointly organizing a
Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology in
the first half of 2007.
Both sides take note of the ongoing bilateral
cooperation in the space sector including in the
Chandrayaan project. India's participation in the
Global navigation Satellite System (GALILEO) will be
an important contribution to such cooperation.
Both sides agree to continue close cooperation in
the fight against terrorism, both through the
regular bilateral consultations and cooperation in
the multilateral context. In particular, they will
continue cooperating in pursuing agreement in the UN
on the Comprehensive Convention against
International Terrorism. The two sides have also
agreed to start negotiations on a Treaty on Mutual
Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters aiming at early
conclusion of such negotiations.
Both sides agree to actively promote our
traditionally close cultural cooperation. India's
participation as the focus country in the Bonn
Biennial Art Festival in May and as the Guest of
Honour Country in this year's Frankfurt Book fair
are important events to further deepen our cultural
ties. They welcome the decision of the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations to set up five
rotating Chairs on Contemporary Indian Studies in
various German universities.
Hannover
April 23, 2006 |
