Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius
Berlin: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on April 22, Wednesday met with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius as part of his three-day official visit to the European nation, where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony. Singh, who is on a visit to Germany from April 21 to 23, received military honours during the ceremonial reception hosted by the German Defence Minister Pistorius. This marked the formal start of his engagements in the country after his interaction with the Indian diaspora and addressing the German Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security.
The Defence Minister’s visit to Germany is aimed at further strengthening the strategic defence partnership between the two countries. Earlier on April 21, Tuesday, Rajnath Singh addressed the Indian diaspora in Berlin and underscored India’s balanced diplomatic stance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, particularly on global conflicts, including the current West Asia situation. He indicated that India remains open to playing a larger role in peace efforts. He also highlighted India’s diplomatic outreach in ensuring maritime stability, noting that such efforts has enabled multiple Indian vessels to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Calling the Indian community in Germany a “living bridge” between the two nations, Singh praised the diaspora’s contribution to Germany’s development while also pointing to India’s rapid progress in infrastructure, startups, space and digital innovation. Prior to addressing the diaspora, the Defence Minister addressed the German Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security in Berlin, where he reiterated India’s concerns over energy security, stating that any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has direct consequences for the country’s economy and stability.
He said that for a developing nation like India, which depends heavily on the West Asian region for energy, such disruptions are not distant events but immediate challenges affecting national security and economic interests. The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral defence ties, with discussions expected to focus on defence industrial cooperation, emerging technologies and enhanced military collaboration between between New Delhi and Berlin.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on April 22, Wednesday held delegation-level talks with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius in Berlin, focusing on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries. The discussions covered a wide range of areas, with a focus on enhancing defence industrial collaboration, strengthening military-to-military engagements and exploring cooperation in emerging domains such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and drone technologies. During the visit, the two leaders also exchanged gifts, reflecting the growing strategic partnership between India and Germany.
India and Germany also signed and exchanged the Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and an Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Training, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the strategic defence partnership between the two countries. The agreements are expected to strengthen institutional collaboration between the two sides and broaden opportunities for joint training, capacity building and capability development in the defence sector.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his German counterpart, the Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, were present during the agreement signing and exchange. Earlier, both leaders held bilateral talks in Berlin, during which both sides reviewed a broad spectrum of bilateral security and defence cooperation, including priority areas for co-development and co-production of defence equipment, with a special focus on niche technologies. The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance military-to-military engagement as a key pillar of the bilateral Strategic Partnership.
“Delighted to meet Mr. Boris Pistorius, Federal Minister of Defence, Germany in Berlin. Exchanged views on a wide range of issues including deepening our defence cooperation and tackling emerging geopolitical challenges. Witnessed signing of the Defence Industrial Roadmap and Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping”, Singh stated in a post on X.
The Defence Minister described his visit as a symbol of “deep friendship, synergy and trust”, noting that India-Germany defence cooperation has gained considerable momentum in recent years, particularly following the assumption of office by the German Defence Minister. Minister Rajnath Singh also highlighted the significance of the India-EU Security and Defence Partnership, which was signed earlier this year, stating that it opens new avenues for deeper engagement.
Both Ministers agreed to leverage this framework bilaterally and within the wider European context to achieve concrete outcomes aimed at strengthening regional stability and enhancing joint capabilities. On global security challenges, the Defence Minister stressed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations must be condemned unequivocally, without exception or justification. The German Defence Minister, in turn, appreciated the institutionalisation of service-level staff talks and future joint military exercises. Rajnath Singh also expressed India’s willingness to welcome the participation of the German Air Force in the upcoming edition of Exercise TARANG SHAKTI, scheduled to be held in India later this year.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on April 22, Wednesday visited the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems(TKMS) group shipyard in Germany. He boarded the Type 212 class submarine and was shown the capabilities of the submarine by the company officials. Rajnath Singh was accompanied by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius ti the TKMS shipyard. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the visit as extremely insightful and asserted that he was able to witness and understand the dynamics of cutting-edge technologies and advanced naval capabilities.
The visit to the shipyard will help to further bolster New Delhi-Berlin cooperation in the maritime domain and consolidate naational security.
(With Inputs from ANI)
