INDIA, A Democratic partner of Germany for Security & Stability

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India not just being the heart of democracy through and with diversity but also a quintessential to the world democratic procedure, and from many years this can be witnessed in India’s dynamic approach too where the process of evolution is focused over development is affecting politics , business and society alike. The world’s most populous country is rapidly becoming a central and active shaper of international politics and of the globalised, collaborative economic order.

India plays a key role in the global efforts to Protect the climate, the environment and biodiversity, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. India has a stabilising influence in a region where the global order based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law is facing considerable pressure.

The geopolitical lines of conflict in the Indo-Pacifc and the high economic dynamics in the region will play a signifcant role in shaping the international order of the 21st century. In this process, India has expressed a clear aspiration to shape future developments. And aspires also to promote the interests of developing countries throughout the world as “the Voice of the Global South”.

“The Indian economy has been growing faster than all other major economies for years. Consistent forecasts indicate that India will be the World’s third-largest economy before 2030, in part also bolstered by its population growth. This is flanked by considerable success in tackling poverty. The potential of India’s domestic market is growing quickly as a result of rising prosperity among the population. In spheres such as information technology, digital public infrastructure and space travel, India’s industry has gained a foothold as a global engine of innovation.”

India is already the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, without any sign of a turnaround in rising emissions. At the same time, India is already heavily affected by the impacts of the climate crisis. India is therefore pursuing ambitious goals in the area of developing renewable energies and environmental protection.

India looks forward to shape its growth in a manner that is as climate neutral, climate resilient and sustainable as possible, in order to achieve the joint goals of the Paris Agreement, and to protect the environment. However, it still Counts on coal as one of the main fuels to meet its growing energy needs. Germany is cooperating with India in the area of green and sustainable development.

Aspirations of Germany Towards India

The German Government is pursuing the following priority goals with a focus on India :

We want to promote a new perspective on India which centres on the great opportu nities and potential of further intensifying our bilateral relations.

We want to assert our interests more effectively in an increasingly complex glob al environment by cooperating closely with India as one of our global partners, and to make use of India’s prominent role in the so-called Global South in shaping our foreign policy.

We want to be a reliable security partner for India. This includes exchange and cooperation on arms-related issues.

We want to work with India towards achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agree- ment, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

We want to promote more from India’s innovative strength as well as its technological, economic and skilled labour potential, in order to be better able to respond to geo-economic challenges.

We want to intensify the German Government’s systematic engagement with India in all its facets and foster a stronger perception of India commensurate with its signifi- cance in the spheres of business, academia and society.

We want to create the framework conditions necessary to enable us to shape our relations with India more coherently and take them to a new level. To this end, we want to strengthen coordination with stakeholders in Germany and Europe.

The above-mentioned factors show that India’s role and development will become even more important for Germany and for Europe in the future. The German Government has a keen interest in deepening the strategic partnership with India, as set down in the coalition agreement. The aim looks like to thoroughly modernise the partnership in the 25 year of its existence and to rapidly and energetically impart a new quality to the bilateral relations.

A central component of this is intensifying the security cooperation-both in the continuous efforts to find strategic convergence on key foreign and security policy challenges and through practical cooperation between the armed forces as well as reliable armaments cooperation.

“With the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership, Germany and India have created a stable platform on which to jointly address global issues concerning the future such as tackling the climate crisis, the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, preserving our natural resources and biodiversity, and establishing a circular economy.”

At the same time, the continuation of our strategic partnership into the future will require a shift in the perception of India in Germany in the realm of politics as well as in German business, academia and among the general public.

The optimistic view of the future held by many stakeholders in politics, business and civil society in India, particularly among the upcoming younger generation, can serve as an example for us.

The German Government can benefit from the perspectives and insights of our Indian partners and their privileged access to countries. Of the so-called Global South when shaping and implementing its foreign policy interests across the entire spectrum.

Article by

Kewali Kabir
Younginker
Student - Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication