German Foreign Minister Johann David Wadephul has arrived in India for a two-day official visit, signaling the importance Germany places on its strategic partnership with New Delhi. The visit, scheduled for September 2-3, 2025, underscores India's growing role in the Indo-Pacific region and the broader global order.
Wadephul's itinerary includes a visit to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru, followed by meetings with key Indian ministers in New Delhi. He is slated to meet with Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation across various sectors.
Ahead of his visit, Wadephul emphasized India's crucial position in the Indo-Pacific and its significance in shaping the international order. He highlighted the close ties between the two countries, "politically, economically, culturally," and noted the potential for deeper collaboration. "The expansion of our strategic partnership has much potential: from security cooperation to innovation and technology to recruiting skilled workers," he stated.
Discussions during the visit are expected to focus on a wide array of topics, including security, trade, technology, and workforce recruitment. Germany is particularly interested in expanding technology partnerships and recruiting skilled workers from India. Wadephul's agenda in Bengaluru includes exploring India's innovative strengths and opportunities for cooperation in research, science, and migration. He also plans to meet with skilled workers and managers to discuss digitization, mobility, and prospects for skilled workers in Germany. The visit to the Goethe-Institut will center on language training for skilled workers from India, who are in demand in Germany.
In New Delhi, Wadephul will engage in discussions on global issues, including multilateralism, international law, and the rules-based trade system. Talks are also expected to cover relations with China and Russia. Both India and Germany share democratic values and a commitment to preserving global stability. "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 and must preserve the rules-based international order together," Wadephul stated.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, built on the pillars of peace, prosperity, people, and planet. The two countries aim to deepen ties in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and defense. Germany's "Focus on India" strategy and India's "Viksit Bharat" vision align for a stronger future.
Germany sees India as a key partner in diversifying its economy and making it more stable. India is a rising economic powerhouse and a promising global technology hub, offering German companies opportunities in innovation, trade, and supply chain diversification. The two countries also share a robust economic partnership, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $34.58 billion in FY 2024-25. Germany is India's largest trading partner within the EU, and India ranks among Germany's top trading partners in Asia.
The visit also aims to strengthen structures for legal migration, including speeding up visa processes and language training courses. Indians are the largest group of foreign students in Germany, and skilled workers from India are highly sought after. To facilitate smoother business collaboration and deeper people-to-people ties, India and Germany continue to build on their Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement.
