‘India’s reliance on Russian arms not in Germany’s interest’: German Defence minister

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated on Monday that India's continuing dependence on Russian weapons is not in Germany's interest, as reported by German News Agency Deutsche Welle (DW).

Pistorius expressed these remarks while he was in Jakarta before embarking on a four-day visit to India. During his visit to India, he will be accompanied by representatives from Germany's defence sector.

The Ministry of Defence has released an official statement indicating that Germany's Federal Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius, will be arriving in India on June 6 for a four-day visit.

"It is not up to Germany to change that on our own," Pistorius said in an exclusive interview with DW in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Pistorius stressed, “This is an issue we have to solve jointly with other partners. But of course, we can't have an interest in the long run that India is so dependent on Russia's delivery of weapons or other materials. I want to send a signal that we are willing to support our partners, our reliable partners like Indonesia, and India. And that includes, for example, the possibility of delivering submarines.”

During the visit, German Chancellor Scholz will engage in discussions with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh, primarily focusing on industrial cooperation, the potential for submarine construction in India and unresolved agreements.

Germany's meaningful act of dispatching the frigate Bayern to the Indo-Pacific region in 2021, including a visit to Mumbai in January of that year, served as a symbolic display of strategic involvement in the region through greater military deployment. Additionally, a recent agreement on triangular cooperation between India and Germany, focusing on joint development projects in third countries, represents a significant stride in advancing this commitment.

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

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to host German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday. This meeting comes just a day after Rajnath Singh engaged in comprehensive discussions with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin. The talks between the Indian and US defence officials covered a wide range of topics, including strategic cooperation and the unveiling of a roadmap for defence industrial collaboration.