By Venkatachari Jagannathan, IANS,
Chennai : The state visit of German President Horst Kohler early next month to India will see the two countries inking cooperation agreements in the areas of economy, technology and defence training.
“We will sign an agreement on economy-technology cooperation worth euro 350 million ($508 million/Rs.23 billion) and one to fight terrorism,” German ambassador to India Thomas Matussek told IANS.
According to him, Germany has offered to train Indian commandos in fighting terrorists.
“Two or three more agreements are in the pipeline. Agreements will be broad frameworks. The actual work will have to be done by the corporate sectors of both the countries,” Matussek added.
“Bilateral trade between India and Germany is around euro 15 billion ($22 billion/Rs.992 billion) and is expected to grow further.”
Kohler and his wife Eva Luise have been invited by President Pratibha Patil, will visit Delhi, Mumbai and Pune.
“Chennai will figure in their itinerary in their next visit as we find the centre of dynamics has shifted to the south to a large extent as compared to other regions in India,” Matussek said.
He also described Chennai as an important hub for German investments after Pune.
On his three-day visit here after assuming office last November, Matussek had met Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, business leaders, people involved in the field of culture and members of Centre for Security Analysis, a security think tank.
“Germany will cooperate with India in the field of nuclear safety and civil nuclear cooperation. The details are still being worked out. India has an impeccable non-proliferation record and so we agreed to its civil nuclear deal with the US.”
Regarding trade in defence equipment, Matussek said Germany was ready to offer aircraft and submarines to India.
He said his country would also offer full technology for the multi-role fighter jet Typhoon and even start manufacturing the aircraft in India without insisting on end-user agreement.
Additionally, according to him, Germany was willing to provide solar power technology to India. “Talks are on between the two governments.”
Matussek also called for further liberalisation of India’s insurance and retail sectors to enable German companies play a bigger role in these areas.
“India has leapfrogged from an agricultural society to knowledge economy. We are ready to bring in cutting-edge technologies in infrastructure building, renewal energy and vocational training at the shop floor level,” the German envoy added.
“India is no more a client for German business but a strategic partner. More than one billion people are living in a dangerous neighbourhood and no global system can work without India, whether it is climate control, terrorism or international financial order.”
Matussek, who was in India between 1983-86, added: “A lot has changed since then. India was then considered a sleeping giant and it has now woken up. The giant has a great role to play not in this region alone but at the global stage.”