International Desk: Germany wants to strengthen bilateral relations with India. Along with this, Chancellor Olaf Schultz called for India to take a clear stand against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Shalats left for India on Saturday (February 25) on a two-day visit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed him in New Delhi. After the meeting with him, he urged India to take a clear position in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“The whole world is suffering because of this (Russia’s) aggression,” Schaltz said, according to the German media outlet Tageschau. Russia has broken international norms in this regard.
Meanwhile, the news agency AP reported that Shalts asked for India’s help to “contain” Russia. He sought an assurance from South Asia’s largest democracy that New Delhi does not create any obstacles to the efforts of Western countries.
Shalats seeks India’s help to “contain” Russia.
India is heavily dependent on Russia for energy and arms. So far, they have not condemned Russia for the attack on Ukraine. Instead, New Delhi continues to trade with Moscow, ignoring the ban imposed by the West.
They also abstained from last Thursday’s (February 23) vote at the United Nations General Assembly on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. After the meeting with Shalats, Modi said in a statement that India wants to resolve the Ukraine crisis through dialogue and diplomacy.
He also said that his country is ready to contribute to any peace talks. In agreement with Shalats, he emphasized the importance of multilateral organizations in the global context.
The Times of India reported that the two countries have also agreed to strengthen ties in the defense sector. Modi noted that assistance in the security and defense sectors could become a strong foundation for strategic ties between India and Germany.
He said, “We discussed a wide range of important bilateral, regional, and global issues.” Meanwhile, on the second day of the visit, Shalats went to visit the activities of various companies in Bengaluru, known as the Silicon Valley of India.
About 1,800 German companies are active in India. During his visit, Shalats emphasized the further expansion of economic and commercial relations between the two countries. That is why a delegation of businessmen from the country is accompanying him on the trip.
Apart from this, the exchange of skilled labor between the two countries is also on the agenda of Shalat’s visit. There is currently a shortage of skilled workers in Germany. On the other hand, India is struggling to ensure the employment of its huge youth population.
