India-Germany Are “Natural Partners”: German FM Annalena Baerbock

New Delhi: Monday’s extensive meetings between German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar focused on measures to strengthen bilateral collaboration, particularly in the fields of energy, commerce, and climate change.

Baerbock landed in India today for a two-day visit, four days after India formally assumed the G-20 presidency.

In a statement, Baerbock remarked that India is Germany’s “natural partner” and that it will play a significant role in determining the nature of the international system in the twenty-first century.

“The Indian government has set itself ambitious goals not only in the G20 but also at home for its own people. When it comes to expanding renewable energies, India wants to push ahead with the energy transition more than before. Germany stands by India’s side,” she said.

“Because the dramatic effects of the climate crisis affect us all, destroying livelihoods in Europe as well as in India. That we want to strengthen our economic, climate and security policy cooperation with India beyond our strategic partnership, are not empty words,” she furthered.

Officials reported that bilateral cooperation in the areas of energy, commerce, and climate change was a prominent topic of conversation between the two foreign ministers. India’s relations with China and the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are expected to come up in discussions between Jaishankar and Baerbock, according to a German statement from the previous day.

In recent years, relations between India and Germany have witnessed significant improvement.