Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 28 : In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Uttarakhand and the German state of Hesse have signed a state-level agreement to deepen cooperation in key sectors, including automotive, healthcare and higher education, on Thursday.
The agreement was formalised during an event held at Doon University in Dehradun.
A German delegation from Frankfurt, currently visiting Dehradun, underlined the importance of knowledge exchange and skill development as part of the growing India-Germany partnership.
Speaking to ANI, David Rendel, Mayor of Raunheim and member of the delegation, said it was a privilege to build bridges between Germany and India through regional and institutional partnerships.
"It's a great pleasure to have the opportunity to build bridges between Germany and the Rhein-Main area and the cities of Raunheim, Russelsheim and Kelsterbach and the Outre-Kant region. We are very happy that we could be here at the university, meet with the minister. This is a great step for us. We are looking forward to meeting the Honourable Chief Minister tomorrow and taking the next steps so that we can exchange knowledge and empowerment between Germany and India," he said.
Highlighting the potential for collaboration, Rendel noted that the Rhein-Main region has a strong base in the automotive sector, a growing healthcare industry and several universities that could link up with Indian institutions. "We support languages and the exchange between languages. We have many universities where you can study in multiple languages. I think this is a good foundation for connection between our countries," he added.
The German delegation is also scheduled to meet Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to explore further avenues of cooperation.
Meanwhile, on broader trade issues, Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in India, said that Germany has consistently advocated for lowering tariffs. "Tariffs are obstacles to free trade. We would always be in favour of reducing tariffs to the minimum level," Enzweiler said.
Speaking on the bilateral trade relations of India and Germany, he said that the interests of the two countries are aligned amid the volatile global conditions and both countries can contribute to stabilising the unstable world order.
"I think Germany's and India's interests are aligned. The international order is in a volatile state at the moment, and India and Germany can play an important role in stabilising the international order and preserving it," he added.
On the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) between India-EU, he said, "The signals we are getting are very positive, we hope that we will see the negotiations come to a fruitful result near the end of the year. The PM and President of the EU Commission have indicated that they would like to see finalisation of the agreement by the end of 2025. We are hopeful that it will happen."