India and Germany look to bolster ties as Modi and Scholz hold talks in New Delhi

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday held wide-ranging discussions to bolster strategic ties between the two countries as Berlin looks to strengthen its relationship with New Delhi at a time when the West is seeking to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Modi and Scholz met in New Delhi where the two countries signed various agreements on enhancing cooperation in the defense sector, information technology, clean energy, skill development and artificial intelligence.

Scholz — accompanied by several key ministers and business leaders — is leading a high-level delegation as part of his three-day visit to India.

After the talks, Scholz noted that Germany is India’s most important trading partner in the European Union and said he was determined to expand those ties.

“As chancellor, I am in particular advocating an ambitious free trade agreement between India and the European Union,” he said. “All sides would really benefit from this, and it should be our ambition finally to make progress here.”

He said there was “good progress” on attracting skilled labor to Germany, particularly “in the sectors where we need them most urgently — whether in medicine, in nursing care, or the IT sector.”

“Our aim is to enthuse even more skilled workers from your country for Germany,” Scholz told Modi.

Earlier in the day, Modi announced that Germany will increase visas for the skilled Indian workforce from 20,000 to 90,000.

Scholz also made a pitch for India to be more active in persuading Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

“This war, which has been raging for so long now and is claiming so many victims, must finally come to an end. The integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine must be preserved,” Scholz said.

Western allies want India to be more active in persuading Russia to end the war in Ukraine, but Modi has avoided condemning Russia while emphasizing a peaceful settlement. He has repeatedly urged diplomatic efforts to end the war and pledged India’s support in doing so.

After the talks concluded, Modi said global forums created in the 20th century “were not capable of dealing with the challenges of the 21st century” and called for reforms of the United Nations Security Council. India has argued for decades that the country of more than 1.4 billion people should have a permanent seat there.

He also said there were “serious concerns regarding the rule of law and freedom of navigation” in the Indo-Pacific region, where China is trying to grow its influence.

Germany has not traditionally had close defense ties with India, but Modi has said in the past that there’s unrealized potential on defense cooperation. Germany’s Thyssenkrupp is also expected to partner with Indian firms to build six advanced conventional submarines in India.

On Saturday, Scholz will be visiting a German frigate and a supply ship, which are in the southern state of Goa participating in a joint maneuver with the Indian navy.

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Moulson reported from Berlin.