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India Gazette
24-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
EAM Jaishankar lists areas of collaboration between India-Germany
Berlin [Germany], May 24 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar shared his remarks on how India and Germany can upgrade their ties as the two countries mark 25 years of their strategic partnership. He offered suggestions on collaboration in several areas to take the ties ahead. EAM Jaishankar made the remarks while speaking at the DGAP's Centre for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics and technology. EAM Jaishankar said in his speech that his visit comes as the two countries are celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership. He said, 'To be here early in the tenure of this government, so that we really lose no time in forging a pathway towards taking after 25 years to look at the next 25 years and see where we can take our relationship'. Listing down the challenges which the modern world has brought forth, such as the chips war, climate change, poverty, damage done by the COVID pandemic, amongst others. EAM expressed confidence in the India-Germany ties to face them. He said, 'The global picture is very challenging... for that I would argue that the partnership between India and Germany, and India and the European Union, of which Germany is a crucial and invaluable member, has acquired an importance and a salience much more than it has had before'. Sharing his engagements in Germany, EAM noted that the time is ripe to think about the next 25 years and how we can fully realise the potential of India-Germany ties. Sharing his thoughts on what can be done to upgrade the relationship, EAM listed down areas of collaboration. The first area he highlighted was 'A good start would be defence and security. We've had sort of an off and on relationship here. There have been times decades ago when there were actually active defence ties between us. Then for whatever reason, there's a certain conservatism about taking it forward. But I have seen that in the last few years, once again, there is a realization in both countries that there is something that we have to offer to each other. And the defence and security of both countries would be very much stronger through our cooperation. And we see this reflected. We see this reflected in exercises in the visits of German ships to the Indo-Pacific and to Indian ports. We see it reflected in enhanced export licensing practices, in discussions whether there can be further technology and equipment collaboration between our countries.' The second area he brought to attention was talent and mobility to meet demand and demographics. He highlighted that India's demographic curve is in the right place to fashion a global workforce. The third area was technology and digital AI, and the fourth area being sustainability and green growth. He expressed optimism for trade ties to grow between the two countries and an FTA with the EU would help in that regard. He also shared the snippets from the event in a post on X. 'A good interaction @dgapev this evening. Spoke about India and Germany coming closer to promote global stability, security and prosperity. Discussed new opportunities in the bilateral relationship, as well as with the European Union. Preparing for a stronger partnership in a multipolar world.' (ANI)
Hans India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
'Pahalgam attack was done to create fear psychosis, destroy tourism and create religious discord', says EAM Jaishankar in Berlin
Berlin: Reiterating India's zero-tolerance for terrorism, India's External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has said that the Pahalgam terror attack was meant to create fear psychosis in the minds of people, destroy tourism economy flourishing in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as well as create a religious discord between communities living in the country. EAM Jaishankar made the remarks while speaking at the DGAP's Centre for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics and technology. He also added that no country in the world has approves of terrorism but rather condemned it. The EAM said that Germany also condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and said that India only targeted terrorists headquarters and training centres emanating from its neighbouring country Pakistan and the latter has used terrorism as a state-sponsored policy to pressurise India. Germany recognises India's right to defend itself against terrorism, EAM Jaishankar said. India has zero tolerance for terrorism and will never give in to nuclear blackmail, he added on Friday after briefing Germany's top leadership on the new approach to combating cross-border terror backed by Pakistan. EAM Jaishankar signalled there will be no room for third-party mediation in India's dealings with Pakistan while addressing a news conference with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul in Berlin. He shared his remarks on how India and Germany can upgrade their ties as the two countries mark 25 years of their strategic partnership. He offered suggestions on collaboration in several areas to take the ties ahead. He said, "To be here early in the tenure of this government, so that we really lose no time in forging a pathway towards taking after 25 years to look at the next 25 years and see where we can take our relationship." Listing down the challenges which the modern world has brought forth, such as the chips war, climate change, poverty, damage done by the Covid pandemic, among others. The EAM expressed confidence in the India-Germany ties to face them. He said, "The global picture is very challenging... for that I would argue that the partnership between India and Germany, and India and the European Union, of which Germany is a crucial and invaluable member, has acquired an importance and a salience much more than it has had before." Sharing his engagements in Germany, the EAM noted that the time is ripe to think about the next 25 years and how we can fully realise the potential of India-Germany ties. Sharing his thoughts on what can be done to upgrade the relationship, EAM listed down areas of collaboration. The first area he highlighted was "A good start would be defence and security. We've had sort of an off and on relationship here. There have been times decades ago when there were actually active defence ties between us. Then for whatever reason, there's a certain conservatism about taking it forward. But I have seen that in the last few years, once again, there is a realisation in both countries that there is something that we have to offer to each other. And the defence and security of both countries would be very much stronger through our cooperation. And we see this reflected. We see this reflected in exercises in the visits of German ships to the Indo-Pacific and to Indian ports. We see it reflected in enhanced export licensing practices, in discussions whether there can be further technology and equipment collaboration between our countries." The second area he brought to attention was talent and mobility to meet demand and demographics. He highlighted that India's demographic curve is in the right place to fashion a global workforce. The third area was technology and digital AI, and the fourth area being sustainability and green growth. He expressed optimism for trade ties to g to grow between the two countries and an Free Trade Agreement with the EU would help in that regard. He also shared the snippets from the event in a post on X. "A good interaction @dgapev this evening. Spoke about India and Germany coming closer to promote global stability, security and prosperity. Discussed new opportunities in the bilateral relationship, as well as with the European Union. Preparing for a stronger partnership in a multipolar world." Earlier on Friday morning, EAM Jaishankar also conveyed to Chancellor Friedrich Merz India's appreciation for Germany's solidarity at the time when the country was responding to the Pahalgam attack. "India has zero tolerance for terrorism. India will never give in to nuclear blackmail. And India will deal with Pakistan purely bilaterally," EAM Jaishankar said. "There should be no confusion in any quarter in that regard." Wadephul said Germany was "appalled by the brutal terrorist attack" at Pahalgam last month and had "condemned this attack on civilians in the strongest terms". He added: "Germany will support any fight against terrorism. Terrorism must never have a place anywhere in the world and this is why we will support everyone who has to fight terrorism." EAM Jaishankar said he spoke to Wadephul on May 7, the day Operation Sindoor was launched to target terrorist infrastructure on Pakistani soil, and said India values Germany's understanding that "every nation has a right to defend itself against terrorism". Defence and security was a key part of the talks between the two Foreign Ministers, and EAM Jaishankar emphasised Germany's importance as an important partner. Wadephul said the two countries share the joint goal of maintaining the rules-based world order. "India has a very special importance as a strong actor in security policy in a strategically important region," Wadephul said. EAM Jaishankar, who is on a three-nation tour of Europe that has already taken him to the Netherlands and Denmark, met members of the German Bundestag or Parliament on Thursday and discussed "India's firm commitment of combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations".
Al Jazeera
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Ukrainians are looking past NATO to a European security architecture
Cambridge, United Kingdom – The fate of Ukraine and the future of European security hangs in the balance as United States and Russian diplomats prepared to discuss an accelerated peace plan this week. The uncertainty and dreadful possibilities of this historical moment, with Russia occupying a fifth of Ukrainian soil, dominated the atmosphere of Firewalling the Future, a conference on the future of Ukraine held at Cambridge University on Monday. Organised by programme leader Victoria Vdovychenko and professor of Ukrainian studies Rory Finnin under the auspices of the Centre for Geopolitics, it brought together Ukrainian, European and British diplomats, soldiers and academics. Dominant among the Ukrainians and Eastern Europeans present was the sentiment that with Trump's re-election, the international order is irrecoverably lost and needs to be rebuilt. Some spoke openly of a post-NATO reality in which Europe must form new structures and alliances to fend for itself. 'No one knows if NATO will be present if things actually happen,' said one Ukrainian parliamentarian whose husband was fighting on the front lines. 'We have to realise as a Europe that outsourced its protection, that … Ukraine suddenly became a valuable security partner. We're willing to fight and give you a lot of valuable lessons.' 'Is the United States still seen as a reliable partner?' asked another parliamentarian from Kyiv. In a European crisis, she said, 'Who will come?' 'If the US continues to say what Vance said at Munich, they are facing a disaster,' said a Ukrainian former cabinet member. 'Europe is waking from a warm bath,' he concluded. All the speakers addressed the conference under Chatham House rules of anonymity. 'You gotta pay' In the past year, Europe's security prospects have changed beyond recognition. US President Donald Trump said NATO protection was no longer contractual but conditional. 'One of the presidents of a big [NATO] country stood up, said, if we don't pay and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' he told students at Coastal Carolina University in February last year. 'No, I will not protect you, in fact I would encourage [the Russians] to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay,' he said to cheers. This month, protection for Ukraine also became conditional, as Trump demanded preferential access to Ukraine's mineral wealth to pay for the aid the US has provided. Days later, in his first remarks on European soil, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said 'returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective,' and that 'the United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.' On Friday, US Vice President J D Vance attempted to reassure European leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference about the US commitment to their security, but Ukrainians at Cambridge felt European security had become unmoored. 'If the people making those speeches were women, they would have been called all sorts of bad names,' said the parliamentarian. 'But with men speaking all that nonsense, we are analysing it for strategic value.' No respect for 'weak countries' There was very little trust expressed in any agreement reached with Russia. 'I have been in Mariupol in 2022 and have experienced torture,' said a Ukrainian woman who has served on the front lines. 'Our enemies are ruthless and so I don't know with whom Trump would like to negotiate.' Ukrainians felt that once the objective of recapturing all the lands Russia has taken from them since 2014 was dropped, bad outcomes were more thinkable than good ones. 'The world we are living in does not respect weakness, weak countries… I'm not sure this world still respects international law,' said a second parliamentarian. Non-Ukrainians agreed. 'If Crimea remains in Russian hands, Russia will use it to dominate the Black Sea aggressively and to attack Ukraine again,' said a Romanian analyst. 'Any energy projects in the Black Sea would be harassed by Russians.' If any US-Russian framework were to be rejected by Ukraine, conferees agreed that Europe would be the only support left. 'Europe will almost certainly be stuck with the bill for Ukraine's reconstruction, and may also be stuck with the bill for prosecuting the war, ie $70-100bn a year,' said the Romanian analyst. There were no dissenters. Finland's model The position of China received attention at the conference. 'China's plan was to divide the American alliance and to cause the Americans to pull away from their networks,' said a Finnish China expert. 'They see that coming true.' China was less happy about Ukrainian resistance, said the expert. 'They are not happy to see the outcome of the war. They hoped for a short war that would damage Ukraine and discredit Zelenskyy. The prolonged resistance is troubling. China will now try to position itself as a peacemaker that never wanted any harm to come to Ukraine.' A third Ukrainian MP believed the post-Cold War world order was not working anyway because Europeans had stopped protecting themselves. 'In 1985, West Germany had 600,000 troops, France 200,000. The Soviet Union was deterred by Germany and France. The US only provided a nuclear umbrella. After the Cold War this changed, and it was a mistake,' he said. He called for 'new alliances to replace the dysfunctional ones'. Finland's Comprehensive Security Model showed a way forward for Europe, said the China expert, referring to the country's whole-of-society approach to national security. 'It's about creating a coherent threat perception across society, about having all reservists and military industry ready and on board, attending exercises, etc,' said the expert. 'This is giving people confidence. It works really well. Nobody in Finland is afraid of the Russians.'
