German defence minister to visit India next week 

New Delhi: The German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is visiting Indian next week to further strengthen the bilateral relationships between the two countries. 

The German defence minister is scheduled for a two day visit to India during which he will hold bilateral talks with defence minister Rajnath Singh on June 6.

While specific details about his visit remain undisclosed, it is believed that the primary focus will be on promoting a submarine deal between the two nations. 

According to the sources, Germany is expected to present a proposal to India for the sale of advanced conventional submarines through the government-to-government route.

The Navy, which is staring at a dwindling sub-surface fleet, is looking to procure six advanced diesel-electric submarines under Project-75I estimated to cost over ₹45,000 crore. The project has been stuck for a while over technical issues.

This visit also underscores Germany's keen interest in deepening its defence co-operation with India, an emerging global power. On the other hand, New Delhi is diversifying from its military dependence on Russia and Berlin reassesses its long-standing arms exports policy, Germany could become an important defence partner for India. 

The recent collaborations include co-development of military hardware and tech transfers, and a deal worth $5.2 billion where Germany would jointly build six conventional submarines in India could be underway. 

Besides, the first ever France-India-Germany military exercise drill is slated to take place in 2024 towards enhanced security and defence collaboration.

(Defence Watch– India's Defence News centre that places the spotlight on Defence Manufacturing, Defence Technology, Strategy and Military affairs is on Twitter. Follow us here and stay updated.)