New Delhi [India], September 3 : German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann David Wadephul arrived in New Delhi following his engagement in Bengaluru as part of his two-day official visit to the country.
According to a post on X by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the German Foreign Minister arrived in the national capital on Tuesday.
He is scheduled to meet Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, followed by a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar here. Following his engagements, he will depart from the country the same day.
According to the MEA's post, his involvement will help fortify the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, which marks 25 years since its inception.
"Herzlich Willkommen to India! FM Johann Wadephul of Germany has arrived in New Delhi. His engagements in Bengaluru and Delhi will further strengthen the multifaceted India-Germany Strategic Partnership as we mark 25 years of its completion," the MEA stated in the post.
https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/1962938207622107532
Earlier in the day, the German Foreign Minister arrived in Bengaluru, following which he visited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) before leaving for Delhi.
Ahead of his visit, he underscored the vital role India plays as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region and on the global stage.
In a series of posts on X, Wadephul emphasised the close political, economic, and cultural ties between Germany and India, describing the expanding strategic partnership as having significant potential.
He also highlighted areas such as security cooperation, innovation, technology, and skilled workforce recruitment as key pillars of the bilateral relationship.
"India is a key partner in the Indo-Pacific. Our relations are close - politically, economically, culturally. The expansion of our strategic partnership has much potential: from security cooperation to innovation & technology to recruiting skilled workers," Wadephul said.
"India's voice, that of the world's most populous country and largest democracy, is also heard beyond the strategically important Indo-Pacific region. That is why I am travelling today for talks to Bangalore and New Delhi," he added.
The German Foreign Minister also emphasised the natural alliance between democracies like Germany and India, particularly in the face of growing geopolitical challenges.
"India plays a decisive role in shaping the international order of our century. We as democracies are natural partners in this. In view of massive geopolitical challenges, we want & must preserve the rules-based international order together," he concluded.
The visit follows Jaishankar's meeting with German Member of Parliament Jurgen Hardt in New Delhi last month, where the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and global development.
According to MEA, Germany is one of India's most valued partners in Europe. The two countries share a strong strategic partnership, which has grown steadily over the decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1951. In March 2021, both sides marked 70 years of diplomatic ties.