INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
rules-based order in Asia by declaring that Germany will show military presence in the region with more deployment, while teaming up with
likeminded partners like India
He said never before had there been such a commitment to the Indo-Pacific by Germany
While Germany has agreed to supply Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, Scholz said Germany will take care not to become a party to the war and that
there must be no war between Russia and NATO.Excerpts:Chancellor, this is your first visit to India since you assumed office
What are the areas you want to focus on in the bilateral relationship and are there any specific takeaways you are looking at from the
visit?I am grateful for this opportunity to visit India and I am looking forward to meet Prime Minister Modi again
India is the largest democratic country in the world, and together with Germany among the top five economies of the world, and a strong and
powerful partner of Germany and the European Union
Germany strives to further strengthen our bilateral relationship and our cooperation on global issues, such as mitigating climate change and
transforming our economies in a just, green and sustainable way
There is huge potential for intensified cooperation, in sectors such as renewables, hydrogen, mobility, pharma, digital economy, and many
We can learn a lot from each other
Agreement in reach and achieve green transformation
We also aim to further deepen our economic relations which is why I am traveling with a high-level business delegation
In that sense, with a future balanced, ambitious, comprehensive and mutually beneficial trade and investment agreement between India and the
pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict
I congratulate India on taking over the G20 Presidency
The G20 is a key forum for multilateral cooperation and global governance
Germany stands ready to support the Indian presidency in delivering ambitious and concrete outcomes on key global challenges, such as
securing strong and sustainable growth, tackling climate change, and fostering sustainable development
The brutal and unjustified Russian war of aggression and full-scale invasion of Ukraine are blatant breaches of the rules-based
international order and the United Nations Charter, and undermine the very foundation of the international order based on the rule of law
This war affects us all: Just imagine that a country invading its neighbour becomes an accepted norm! At the last G20 Summit in Bali in
November 2022, the G20 sent a strong message in this respect
It will be important to build on that during the Indian G20 Presidency
the Global South as the developing world has been impacted most by the food, fuel and fertilizer shortages resulting from the conflict
PM Modi recently chaired a virtual meeting with developing countries to discuss the concerns they had
What do you make of this Indian initiative and what sort of support can India expect from Germany in efforts to mitigate the effects of
global food and energy crises?We are convinced that inclusive international cooperation and unity are key in handling the consequences of
I, therefore, commend Prime Minister Modi for bringing together countries that are particularly affected
most food-insecure countries
And there is plenty to discuss and act on beyond food and energy - for example regarding global financing architecture, trade, health and
To address these challenges, we need to look forward together
India for example is leading efforts in the transformation of food and agriculture systems, also reaching out internationally, with lots to
Germany is spearheading global efforts for a parallel decarbonization and economic development that is as socially just
India is an important partner and leader in those efforts, also for rallying global support
We are ready to deepen our existing collaboration even further.Differences between India and Europe on how to handle Russia have grown
You have said new sanctions are planned around the anniversary of the Ukraine war
India does not want to see sanctions that can further complicate the global economy
Russia?The world is becoming more multipolar
In the future, there will be many powerful nations
If we want to work together effectively on global challenges, we need a solid, reliable and rules-based international order
Attacking your neighbour, seizing territory by force, committing terrible war crimes, cannot be tolerated
With India, we share the foundation of democracy and respect of international law
Together, we stand for state sovereignty and peaceful conflict resolution worldwide
sustain its brutal war of aggression
And second, to impose the costs of this war on those who facilitate and benefit from it
We are taking great care to ensure that our sanctions do not have adverse effects on the global economy and, in particular, do not target
food or energy exports to third countries
By contrast, Russia is using food and energy prices as a weapon, among others through the targeted destruction of Ukrainian farms, ports and
roads.India has accused Europe of not paying enough attention to the Indo-Pacific at a time when the region faced grave security challenges
from an increasingly assertive China
Germany now has an Indo-Pacific policy but how far is it willing to go to ensure a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, especially in
terms of political and security cooperation?Germany is strengthening its partnership with the Indo-Pacific region, as is laid out in the
German Indo-Pacific policy guidelines
It is no coincidence that my first trip to the region as Chancellor took me to Japan in April 2022
In May, we held government consultations with India
India and Indonesia were among the partner countries of the G7 Summit in Germany in June and I travelled to Vietnam and Singapore in
November 2022, accompanied by a large German business delegation
Last summer our Air Force participated in Australian-led manoeuvres, demonstrating our interoperability with partners in the region
We will continue these deployments, showing military presence in the region and teaming up with like-minded partners such as India in
various different formats
Never before has there been such a German commitment to the Indo-Pacific
We also appreciate that we are advocating for the same goals in international climate policy and energy transition
I would like to deepen this cooperation through an open and cooperative climate club and by forging new partnerships for a just energy
transition, including with India and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.Germany is one of the leading players in global efforts to
end the conflict and restore economic stability
In his conversations with both Putin and Zelenskyy, Modi has offered support for any peace effort
Do you think India can play a role in bringing the war to an end?Germany stands ready to support all such efforts to find an end to this
In my telephone conversations with President Putin, I have advocated the immediate end to the Russian attacks, a complete withdrawal of
Russian troops, and negotiations
Russia, on the other hand, one year after it started this war of aggression, is still counting on a military victory, continues to destroy
civilian infrastructure without any regard for human lives, including tens of thousands of their own young soldiers who will never return
Russia has to live up to its responsibilities as a member of the United Nations Security Council and abide by the UN Charter
This is the fundamental starting point for a meaningful diplomatic effort.Germany has been delivering weapons to Ukraine in a stunning
reversal of its longstanding policy of not sending weapons to conflict zones
But now Germany has even agreed to send the Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
ruled out the use of nukes if they are faced with defeat.Germany has assisted Ukraine with over 13 billion Euros for humanitarian support
and the reconstruction of destroyed cities, infrastructure, support for the economy
More than 1 million Ukrainians have found refuge in Germany
We do this in close coordination and coherently with our allies
The deliveries are a clear sign of our solidarity with Ukraine and a clear message to Russian President Putin that attacking your neighbor
At the same time, we take care not to become a party to the war
There must be no war between Russia and NATO.
