New Delhi: German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck on Thursday said that there is strong momentum from both countries in making the India-Germany relationship stronger in the future.

The German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Change made the remarks at the Indo-German Business Forum here in the national capital.

Addressing the event, Habeck said, “11 years have passed since a German minister for Economic Affairs was here in India, but this is one part of the story, the other part of the story is that I might be the fifth or fourth minister of the German cabinet being here in India in short time. A lot of my colleagues have been in India. So, you see it’s a two-sided story, long time waiting and there is strong momentum from both sides in making German-India relationship stronger into the future”.

The German Vice Chancellor further said that a lot of German companies are working in Indian markets and many others that are exploring the markets.

“This is the political framework for this conference and also for the visit that I am doing with a huge delegation, actually a lot of business leaders from German companies. Some companies are well established in India with lots of employees working in Indian markets, while some are exploring the market…looking for business opportunity here,” Habeck said.

He added, “It is business to business, that happens on the ground…the delegation, and also the distinguished members that are here in India, have more to offer than I have, so please take the opportunity and meet and talk”.

Earlier in the day, Habeck also met Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal as the two leaders chaired the Indo-German Freundschaft Business Interaction at Vanijya Bhawan here.

The business interaction was also attended by a German delegation comprising top executives of large and medium-sized companies.

The Union Minister said that the two leaders discussed ways to advance cooperation between the two countries including in the field on green energy and sustainable development.

Taking to Twitter, Piyush Goyal said, “Met Dr. Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Germany. Discussed ways to advance cooperation in the field of green energy and sustainable development to further strengthen our fight against climate change”.

“Held a meeting with the German business delegation led by Dr. Robert Habeck, the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Discussed ways to enhance trade and investment ties to add further impetus to the growing partnership between India and Germany,” Goyal added in a subsequent tweet.

German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, who is on a three-day visit to India, will be visiting several Indo-German joint ventures in Delhi and Mumbai.

In Mumbai, he is also planning to engage with the Government of Maharashtra to visit a non-governmental project supporting sustainable development and to have an exchange with young Indian entrepreneurs, as per the German Embassy in India.

On the last leg of his visit, Vice-Chancellor Habeck will participate in the G20 Energy Ministers meeting in Goa.