Picture Credit: x.com/rajnathsingh
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephonic conversation with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius on 8 October, focusing on strengthening defence ties between the two nations.
The talks, which come just ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s upcoming visit to India later this month, covered key areas of defence cooperation, including joint exercises and industrial collaboration.
Review of Ongoing Defence Cooperation
During the call, both ministers reviewed ongoing defence cooperation activities, particularly joint exercises in the air and maritime domains.
These exercises underscore the growing military partnership between India and Germany, and the discussions sought to identify ways to deepen collaboration in these areas.
Strengthening Industrial Collaboration
A key point of discussion was the enhancement of defence industrial cooperation. Both Singh and Pistorius discussed strategies to build resilience in defence supply chains and identified potential areas for future collaboration.
“They planned to meet in the near future to give concrete shape to the defence engagements and joint projects with an aim to transform defence as a key pillar of the India-Germany bilateral relationship,” according to a statement from the Indian Defence Ministry.
Future Engagements in the Pipeline
The conversation also set the stage for future high-level meetings, with both ministers expressing their intent to meet in person to solidify joint defence initiatives. These efforts are part of a broader push to make defence cooperation a central component of the India-Germany strategic partnership.
Following the discussion, Singh posted on X, stating, “Had a telephonic conversation with the German Federal Minister of Defence, Mr Boris Pistorius. We reviewed the ongoing defence cooperation activities including the exercises in air and maritime domain. We also discussed ways and means to strengthen the defence industrial collaboration and enhance supply chain resilience.”
