MEA
Joint Statement on the Further Development of the Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Germany
30 October 2007
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chancellor Angela Merkel have reaffirmed today their commitment to the strategic partnership between India and Germany. The special partnership has already led to growing cooperation in global affairs and substantial expansion in the bilateral engagement in multiple fields. Within the framework of the Agenda for the Indo-German partnership in the 21st century adopted in 2000 and the Joint Statement issued on the occasion of the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Germany in April 2006, India and Germany will enhance the scope of their partnership with a view to strengthen it, based on shared principles, common perceptions and interests.
India and Germany share and promote universal values of democracy, rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms including religious, which are best realized in a pluralistic environment. They share a vision of peace, security and common opportunity in global affairs. They have shared interests in overcoming and finding solutions to key global challenges amongst others poverty, diseases such as HIV/AIDS, the environmental and climate change, energy security, UN reform, international crime including cyber crime, illegal migration and trafficking in people, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, and international terrorism. Co-operation will be further enhanced on these issues, both bilaterally and in regional and international fora.
India and Germany share the vision of further strengthening their partnership through new initiatives in the spheres of trade and bilateral investment, energy, science and technology, education, culture, defence. They see considerable potential for growth in all these fields.
India and Germany are strong partners in the field of science, technology and research and are determined to further developing this central pillar of their strategic partnership. The establishment of the Indo-German Science and Technology Centre, and the launch of the Science Express, which will carry an exhibition, designed and fabricated by the Max Planck Society, to numerous Indian cities in the course of the next year, are significant contributions reflecting this cooperation. Both sides are actively pursuing cooperation in the space sector including in the Chandrayaan project. Germany's support to India's participation in ITER and India's commitment to participate in the FAIR project was welcomed and appreciated.
Trade, investment and education belong to the core of the Indo-German partnership and collaboration. Both sides noted with satisfaction that bilateral trade has doubled within three years and agreed to work towards an annual trade volume of 20 billion Euro for 2012. The upward trend in two-way investments between India and Germany is a welcome development that needs further acceleration. Infrastructure and energy need to be concentrated on as sectors for mutually beneficial investments. They should take into account the complementary nature of the skills, resources and opportunities available in the two economies.
India and Germany reaffirm their commitment to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership for the benefit of both their peoples and the international community based on universal values of democracy and pluralism. A stronger partnership between India and Germany, two major democracies in Asia and Europe, acting in concert in international institutions, enhances global cooperation and security. Both sides stressed the commitment to work towards promoting international peace, stability and security, development and the eradication of poverty.
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