Rajnath invites German firms to co-develop tech in India
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday invited the German industry to co-develop and co-produce with India, particularly in the field of niche technologies, as he underscored the need to forge partnerships based on reliability and shared interests.
He termed them as indispensable in the current shifts in geopolitical alignments, disruptions in supply chains, rapid technological transformations, and increasing global uncertainties, while addressing Indian and German Defence Industry leaders during the Defence Investor Summit in Munich, the defence ministry here said. The minister was in Germany on a three-day visit ending Thursday. It was his maiden visit there as the defence minister.
Rajnath Singh asserted that nations and industries are re-evaluating their dependencies, diversifying their supply chains, and seeking reliable partners who ensure resilience, continuity and mutual trust.
He stated that India, in this scenario, offers an expanding market, a young and skilled workforce, and a rapidly evolving industrial ecosystem, coupled with stability, predictability, and a commitment to the rule of law. These are the critical factors for long-term investment decisions in an uncertain world, the defence minister said.
Referring to the significant untapped potential under the ReArm Europe and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, Rajnath Singh reiterated that Indian companies are keen to engage with German companies for co-development and co-production in areas including advanced radar and sensor technology, multi-sensors, AI-enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems, Sonobouys and High-Power Low Frequency Underwater Transmitters.
Rajnath Singh described India’s pursuit of self-reliance as not inward-looking, but about opening new pathways of partnership.
He pointed out that India recognises the significant role of the defence sector in the journey towards becoming a developed nation, and has placed it at the heart of its industrial and technological strategy.
The defence minister told the German industry captains that the Government of India, over the past decade, has undertaken a series of structural reforms to improve the ease of doing business and make India an attractive destination for investment.
Rajnath Singh appreciated the deepening of India-Germany defence relations through significant industrial partnerships, with a growing focus on co-development and co-production. “Both nations are aligning their industries to create resilient supply chains for defence equipment, particularly in response to geopolitical shifts,” he said.
On April 22, Rajnath Singh visited the TKMS Submarine building facility in Kiel, underscoring the deepening defence engagement between India and Germany. The visit provided an opportunity to exchange views on advanced maritime capabilities and explore avenues for collaboration in naval technologies, in line with India’s defence modernisation priorities.
Earlier, Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius in Berlin, aimed at further strengthening the strategic defence partnership with the European nation. The Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Training were inked and exchanged during the meeting.
