A new commentary from the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), published on 30 August, underlines how Germany’s military resurgence could reshape India–Germany defence ties. Kartik Bommakanti, Senior Fellow with ORF’s Strategic Studies Programme, notes that Berlin’s decision to step up defence spending—aiming for 3.5 percent of GDP by 2029—and boost its industrial base makes it a credible strategic actor within NATO and a promising partner for India.
Bommakanti highlights that New Delhi is already engaging German defence firms in major projects. These include Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems’ collaboration with Mazagon Dockyard for next-generation submarines and Diehl’s joint venture with Reliance Defence to locally produce precision-guided munitions, potentially worth over US$1 billion. Such cooperation, he argues, not only helps India reduce dependence on Russian platforms but also strengthens its defence manufacturing ecosystem through technology transfers and cost-sharing joint ventures.
The author cautions, however, that export control barriers and Berlin’s defence sales to Pakistan may complicate the partnership. Even so, he asserts that India must seize this opening, positioning itself both as a hub for co-development and as a provider of skilled manpower for Germany’s expanding defence industry.
Copyright: Observer Research Foundation (ORF). Read the full report on their website: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/rise-of-german-military-power-and-the-india-opportunity
