German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Visits India
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to visit India for two days, starting on October 24, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The visit is for the 7th Intergovernmental Consultations (IGC). Chancellor Scholz will arrive in Delhi and meet PM Modi on October 25 at the Prime Minister’s official residence, 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
Key Events During the Visit
The leaders will inaugurate the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2024 at Hotel Taj Palace. Following this, they will meet at Hyderabad House for the Inter-Governmental Consultations and exchange agreements between the two countries. Chancellor Scholz will be accompanied by senior ministers from his cabinet.
Discussion Topics
The discussions will focus on enhanced security and defense cooperation, opportunities for talent mobility, economic cooperation, Green and Sustainable Development Partnership, and collaboration in emerging and strategic technologies.
Visit to Goa
On October 26, Chancellor Scholz will travel to Goa, where the German naval frigate “Baden-Wuerttemberg” and combat support ship “Frankfurt am Main” will make a port call as part of Germany’s Indo-Pacific deployment. The Chancellor will depart from India later that day.
India-Germany Relations
Germany is a key partner for India in Europe, with a ‘Strategic Partnership’ established since 2000. The two countries collaborate in areas such as defense, science and technology, investments, and higher education. Chancellor Scholz’s visit marks his third trip to India, following visits in February and September 2023.
Doubts Revealed
German Chancellor -: The German Chancellor is the head of the government in Germany, similar to the Prime Minister in India. Olaf Scholz is the current Chancellor of Germany.
Intergovernmental Consultations -: Intergovernmental Consultations are meetings between the governments of two countries to discuss and plan cooperation on various issues like security, economy, and technology.
Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business -: This is a conference where German businesses discuss opportunities and challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes countries like India, China, and Japan.
Port call -: A port call is when a ship stops at a port to load or unload goods, or for the crew to rest. In this case, German naval ships will stop in Goa during the Chancellor’s visit.
Strategic partnership -: A strategic partnership is a long-term relationship between two countries to work together on important issues like trade, security, and technology. India and Germany have had such a partnership since 2000.
