The two leaders have earlier this year met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan and had talked about further enhancing cooperation in sectors including cyber security and artificial intelligence

According to sources the focus of the meeting here in New Delhi will be Climate Change, fight terrorism and trade and defence cooperation.

It is official. German Chancellor Angela Merkel accompanied by a high-level official delegation is arriving on Oct 31 for a three-day visit for the biennial summit-level meeting.

According to sources the focus of the meeting here in New Delhi will be Climate Change, fight terrorism and trade and defence cooperation. The talks between the two leaders Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will also discuss space cooperation, education, artificial intelligence, and other issues of mutual interest.

The two leaders have earlier this year met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan and had talked about further enhancing cooperation in sectors including cyber security and artificial intelligence.

Since both countries enjoy strategic partnership since 2001, for a comprehensive review and identifying new areas for deeper engagement both countries have in place a mechanism of intergovernmental consultations at the level of head of governments. India is one of the few countries which have such a dialogue mechanism with Germany.

The bilateral relations between the two countries have witnessed an upswing in the last few years. Last year German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid a state visit to India and the German Chancellor has visited India in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

The European nation is India’s largest trading partner and India holds ranked 25th position in that country’s global trade last year. Also, Germany is the seventh-largest foreign direct investor in India since April 2000 until March 2019 Germany’s total FDI is at $ 11.7 billion.

Also, since 2016, for fast regulatory clearances for German companies operating in India, the government has a fast -track system in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP).

Defence Cooperation

German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems GmBH is one of the four global bidders for building six conventional submarines for the Indian Navy. If the company wins the $6.6 billion it will be working with one of the local Indian shipyards and will have to transfer technology to build the diesel-electric powered submarines.

Also to meet the urgent requirement of the Indian Navy, the two leaders are likely to discuss joint development and production of German origin torpedoes.

The two countries have recently inked an Implementing Arrangement on Enhanced Defence and Defence Industry Cooperation. This is expected to strengthen military to military engagement and the defence industry as well as Research and Development linkages.