By IANS
New Delhi : India and Germany Tuesday took their strategic and economic ties to new heights by signing seven pacts in diverse areas and agreed to push hard for reform of the UN Security Council and cooperate in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues including UN reforms, terrorism, energy security and cooperation in the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations and a new evolving mechanism to combat climate change.
In a big boost for India’s NSG diplomacy, Germany, which becomes the chair of the 45-nation body next year, indicated its support for the Indo-US nuclear deal that is being opposed to by some political sections in that country.
“We have every interest to see that India gets cooperation in the international nuclear regime, but India must ensure maximum transparency,” said Merkel, who arrived here on her first visit to India Monday night.
Merkel, however, added a caveat. “We hope that the IAEA rules are abided by. Once that is in place, Germany and India can do a lot together in peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” Merkel said, signalling that there is widespread global acceptance of the nuclear deal, which some critics question as endangering the existing nuclear non-proliferation regime.
Merkel’s forthright stand on the nuclear deal was an advance over Germany’s ambivalent position during Manmohan Singh’s visit to that country last year.
Manmohan Singh kept the hope alive for the nuclear deal saying that his government was trying to mobilise broad-based national consensus and despite delay due to domestic problems – a reference to the Left parties opposition to the deal – it was not the end of the road.
The two leaders also made a vigorous pitch for reform of the UN Security Council.
“India and Germany are part of the G4 process (that also includes Japan and Brazil). If the Security Council has to reflect contemporary realities, there is need for reforms,” Manmohan Singh said.
“There are still hurdles. Our two countries have agreed to work together,” he said.
The joint declaration at the end of the talks has invigorated strategic partnership and provided a “new and substantive momentum to our relationship”, Manmohan Singh said.
Merkel agreed. “We have an interest in reform of the UN Security Council. We are going to be in contact with each other. We ought to be optimistic,” said Merkel while alluding to remarks of some indicating that there was waning of enthusiasm for UN reforms.
The two leaders stressed on enhanced business and technological cooperation as the keystone of growing relationship between the two countries. Around 30 top business honchos representing big brands like European plane maker Airbus, conglomerate Siemens, rail operator Deutsche Bahn and reinsurer Munich Re are accompanying Merkel.
The two countries also set an ambitious trade target of achieving bilateral trade worth 20 billion euro by 2012 and sought to underpin the burgeoning economic relationship with an enlarged defence cooperation on the basis of a cooperation agreement that will include a dialogue on export control.
Merkel also indicated Germany’s desire to enhance people-to-people contacts between the two countries by relaxing the visa regime and immigration rules. But she added that expectations have to be realistic.
“There are a number of issues. But we are trying to sort them out. Expectations from the Indian system have to match with the legal system in our country,” she said when asked about Germany’s stance on relaxing the visa regime that will allow more Indian businessmen and workers to go to that country.
Germany is India’s largest trade partner in Europe and the fourth largest trade partner in the world.
“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,” said a joint statement on the further development of strategic and global partnership between the two countries.
This was seen by both sides as “a new phase” in enhancing their strategic partnership. Defence cooperation will include an exchange of information and cooperation in the fields of defence technological research, armament procurement projects, including project related development and defence technology.
The seven agreements, including four in the area of science and technology and one in defence co-operation, were signed in the presence of the two leaders at the stately Hyderabad.
German’s emphasis on cooperation in the area of cutting edge technology was reflected in the number of science pacts. The agreements include setting up of an Indo-German science and technology centre, launching a Science Express train, co-operation in marine sciences, as well as a memorandum of understanding between their departments of science and technology and a Lindau Nobel laureates council.
In line with the strategy for closer collaboration in science, a bilateral co-operation MoU between their patents offices was also signed Tuesday.
Besides, the two defence ministries inked an agreement on “mutual protection of classified information”, as well as a MoU for co-operation between the postal departments.
Early in the day, Manmohan Singh and Merkel flagged off the Science Express — a mobile science exhibition on a train that will visit 57 towns across India over the next seven months. It aims to kindle scientific curiosity among the Indian youth.
Merkel began her official visit to India Tuesday morning with an inter-services ceremonial guard of honour at the red sandstone presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Pratibha Patil and Manmohan Singh received her.
Besides meeting Manmohan Sigh, she also met President Pratibha Patil, United Progressive Alliance chair Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani. Merkel heads to India’s financial hub Mumbai Wednesday.