German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Visit India for 7th Intergovernmental Consultations

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be on a three-day visit to India beginning today for the 7th Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Scholz will co-chair the intergovernmental consultations tomorrow. The IGC is a whole-government framework under which ministers from both sides hold discussions in their respective areas of responsibility and report on the outcome of their deliberations to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor.

Both the leaders will hold bilateral talks tomorrow to discuss enhanced security and defence cooperation, deeper economic cooperation, the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership, and collaboration in the area of emerging and strategic technologies. Our correspondent reports that both leaders will also address the 18th Asia Pacific Conference of German Business.

The Asia Pacific Conference of German Business is a biennial event for business leaders,



executives, and political representatives from Germany and the countries in the Indo-Pacific. It is expected to give a further boost to trade and investment ties between the two countries. About 650 top business leaders and CEOs from Germany, India, and other countries are expected to participate in the event. Given its key role in the EU, Germany is one of India’s most important partners in Europe. India was also among the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Germany after the Second World War.

India and Germany are cooperating in the fields of agriculture, application of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, urban mobility, sustainable development, and interaction between start-ups. There are over two lakh Indian passport holders and Indian-origin people in Germany. The Indian diaspora mainly consists of professionals, researchers and scientists, businessmen, nurses, and students.