After holding over hour-long wide-ranging talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on a host of key issues like trade, skill development and climate change, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday warned that terrorism poses a grave threat to future generations and said forces of humanity should come together to combat the menace as India and Germany vowed to take “strong measures” against those who encourage, support and finance it.
Noting that India and Germany were “made for each other”, Modi sought “quantum jump” in economic ties with Germany with the two countries signing 12 MoUs/agreements in fields like cyber policy, development initiatives, sustainable urban development, continued development of cluster managers and skill development, digitalisation, railway security and promoting vocational training.
“Pace of development of our relations is fast, direction positive and destination clear. Germany will always find India as powerful, prepared and capable partner,” Modi said at a joint Press interaction after holding talks with Merkel.
Besides, India thanked Germany for backing its membership bid in the Nuclear Suppliers Group as the two countries supported each other’s candidature for a permanent seat in a reformed UN Security Council and the two sides also issued a joint
statement after Modi and Merkel held the fourth India-Germany Inter-governmental Consultations (IGC).
The two leaders underlined their common concern about the threat and global reach of terrorism and extremism while condemning terrorist violence in all its forms and manifestations, the joint statement said. “They agreed on the need to take strong measures against all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary and safe havens that sustain and support terrorist groups and organisations,” it said.
India and Germany hailed their closer collaboration in countering these challenges through regular meetings of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism.
They also called for finalisation and adoption of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, it said. Making a reference to terrorism, Modi said it was a big problem that faces future generations and all forces of humanity must come together to fight the menace.
“Both our countries will work together to tackle this problem together and cyber security and intelligence sharing is a very important aspect of this cooperation,” he said.
Modi’s remarks assume significance as they come in the wake of a spate of terror attacks that have struck European countries like Germany, France, the UK and Sweden recently. The latest terror attack to have rocked Europe was at a concert in Manchester where a suicide bomber blew himself up, killing 22 people.
Modi said a comprehensive review of bilateral relations was undertaken during the talks with Merkel.
“A quantum jump in economic relations can be seen between India and Germany and an outcome-oriented momentum can be seen building,” he said.
Modi highlighted that skills development was a key area of cooperation. Germany has set global benchmarks in the field of skill development, which is important for India, Modi said.
India, with 800 million youth and 65 per cent of the population under the age of 35, will be benefited by skills development that Germany can provide, he said. It would be an “immoral and criminal act” to spoil the environment for future generations, Modi said and underlined the need to protect nature, as the Trump administration mulls to overturn the US’ position on the 2015 Paris climate accord.
Merkel said India and Germany had further expanded and deepened the bilateral relationship during Modi’s visit.”There has been signing of a number of declarations of intent with 1 billion euros going into development cooperation between the countries,” she told reporters.
Modi was joined by his delegation of senior Ministers, including Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Energy Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar. The last IGC was held in New Delhi in October, 2015, when bilateral ties were significantly scaled up.
Germany is the largest trade partner for India in the EU and one of the leading sources of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country.
“There has been FDI of 2 billion dollars (from Germany) in the past two years,” Indian Ambassador to Germany Mukta Dutta Tomar, said, highlighting the success of a fast track mechanism set up in 2015 to assist German businesses work in India and improve the ease of doing business.
After meeting the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at his official residence Modi left for Spain on the second leg of his four-nation tour which will then cover Russia and end in France.