'India a rising powerhouse, has special importance in world': German FM pledges full push on FTA
Germany is in full support of carrying free trade agreement, negotiated as soon as possible. We are a free trade nation, says German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul
- Sep 3, 2025,
- Updated Sep 3, 2025 2:57 PM IST
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called India a "rising economic powerhouse" with a "special importance" on the global stage, while reaffirming Berlin's full support for finalising the long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union.
"As a rising economic powerhouse and the most populous country and biggest democracy in the world, India has special importance in a world region that is of strategic importance. Our economies, in particular, have a lot to gain if we are to further expand our cooperation. I was in Bengaluru yesterday, and I saw for myself what an innovative powerhouse and technology centre India has become," Wadephul said in Delhi.
The German Foreign Minister's praise for India comes just weeks after US President Donald Trump derided the country as a "dead economy" while justifying his decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports. The sweeping levies, harsher than those on China, have been a major source of strain in India-US ties, with New Delhi calling them "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable."
Wadephul said that Germany would push hard for the FTA to conclude on time. "Germany is in full support of carrying this Agreement, negotiated as soon as possible. We are a free trade nation...the EU is working on (the Agreement with) India, that's the most important to us. I hope really that we can be successful. You can be assured that we will use all arguments we have with the Commission to put this forward and to reach a level between our countries and between the EU and India on this," Wadephul said.
The minister also stressed defence and security ties, pointing to common challenges in the Indo-Pacific. "India and Germany are united by the objective to preserve the rules-based international order and that includes the freedom of maritime trade routes in the Indo-Pacific. China's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific is a cause for concern for both our countries. More generally, we aim to further expand our cooperation in the areas of defence, security and armament," he said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the two sides discussed both bilateral and global issues, with emphasis on expanding trade and strategic cooperation. "We are witnessing significant and far-reaching changes on the global strategic landscape. We're also seeing a lot of volatility on the global economic landscape and I think together they make a very powerful case for India and the European Union and India and Germany to work much more closely with each other," he said.
He added that Germany had assured full support for the FTA talks. "The minister was kind enough to assure me that Germany would also put its full weight behind the FTA negotiations with the European Union. So the bottom line answer is yes. There are big changes underway in the world. Those changes make a very compelling case for a deeper, stronger, wider India-Germany relationship,” Jaishankar said.
The external affairs minister also underlined India's readiness to double trade with Germany, which stood at almost 50 billion euros last year. "German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, in one of his interviews, said that he was very confident that we would be doubling our trade. Let me assure him that India fully reciprocates that sentiment," Jaishankar said.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called India a "rising economic powerhouse" with a "special importance" on the global stage, while reaffirming Berlin's full support for finalising the long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union.
"As a rising economic powerhouse and the most populous country and biggest democracy in the world, India has special importance in a world region that is of strategic importance. Our economies, in particular, have a lot to gain if we are to further expand our cooperation. I was in Bengaluru yesterday, and I saw for myself what an innovative powerhouse and technology centre India has become," Wadephul said in Delhi.
The German Foreign Minister's praise for India comes just weeks after US President Donald Trump derided the country as a "dead economy" while justifying his decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports. The sweeping levies, harsher than those on China, have been a major source of strain in India-US ties, with New Delhi calling them "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable."
Wadephul said that Germany would push hard for the FTA to conclude on time. "Germany is in full support of carrying this Agreement, negotiated as soon as possible. We are a free trade nation...the EU is working on (the Agreement with) India, that's the most important to us. I hope really that we can be successful. You can be assured that we will use all arguments we have with the Commission to put this forward and to reach a level between our countries and between the EU and India on this," Wadephul said.
The minister also stressed defence and security ties, pointing to common challenges in the Indo-Pacific. "India and Germany are united by the objective to preserve the rules-based international order and that includes the freedom of maritime trade routes in the Indo-Pacific. China's increasingly aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific is a cause for concern for both our countries. More generally, we aim to further expand our cooperation in the areas of defence, security and armament," he said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the two sides discussed both bilateral and global issues, with emphasis on expanding trade and strategic cooperation. "We are witnessing significant and far-reaching changes on the global strategic landscape. We're also seeing a lot of volatility on the global economic landscape and I think together they make a very powerful case for India and the European Union and India and Germany to work much more closely with each other," he said.
He added that Germany had assured full support for the FTA talks. "The minister was kind enough to assure me that Germany would also put its full weight behind the FTA negotiations with the European Union. So the bottom line answer is yes. There are big changes underway in the world. Those changes make a very compelling case for a deeper, stronger, wider India-Germany relationship,” Jaishankar said.
The external affairs minister also underlined India's readiness to double trade with Germany, which stood at almost 50 billion euros last year. "German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, in one of his interviews, said that he was very confident that we would be doubling our trade. Let me assure him that India fully reciprocates that sentiment," Jaishankar said.