India, Germany reaffirm to boost trade and investment ties

New Delhi, October 23 (IANS) India and Germany have discussed opportunities for closer industrial collaboration and the potential of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to expand bilateral trade and investment, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.Goyal held a series of high-level engagements in Berlin to strengthen India–Germany trade, investment and industrial cooperation. The Berlin engagements form part of ongoing efforts to deepen the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, particularly in trade, investment, technology and industrial cooperation.The engagements included a bilateral meeting with German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche, the inauguration of the India Centre at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), an India-Germany Business Roundtable, and participation in the ‘Berlin Global Dialogue’.Goyal and German Federal Minister Reiche jointly inaugurated the DGAP’s India Centre in Berlin, which is intended to promote policy research and dialogue on India–Germany relations.The Ministers also co-chaired an India-Germany Business Roundtable organised with the DGAP and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), with participation from German CEOs and business leaders.According to an official statement, in their keynote addresses, Goyal addressed accelerating growth and forging a new trade era, while Reiche spoke on transforming the FTA into industrial reality.“The subsequent interaction focused on translating the prospective India–EU FTA into concrete trade and investment opportunities,” the statement noted.At the ‘Berlin Global Dialogue’, Goyal participated in the panel discussion titled “New Era, New Alliances: The Third Path?” alongside Personal Representative of the German Chancellor for Investment, Martin Blessing; Singapore’s Minister for Manpower and Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology, Dr Tan See Leng; and Chairwoman and CEO of Marcegaglia Steel, Emma Marcegaglia.Goyal highlighted the importance of trust, complementary economic strengths, and resilient supply chains in international partnerships.The minister is accompanied on his visit to Germany and the Netherlands by a delegation of around 100 Indian businesses and startups.