India, Germany conclude policy talks; boost green energy cooperation

India and Germany concluded policy negotiations, agreeing to continue cooperation in renewable energy, urban development, and sustainable agriculture. The partnership is bolstered by a German commitment of over 1 billion euros for various projects.

The development policy negotiations between Germany and India were successfully concluded in New Delhi, an official press release stated. Led by the Department for Economic Affairs under the Indian Ministry of Finance and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), both sides agreed to continue their cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, urban development, mobility, and agroecology in the coming years.

The Indo-German cooperation is strategically guided by the Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development, which was established in 2022 between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Strengthening a Strategic Partnership

"Germany and India share a long-standing, trusting, and strategic partnership. This has been further demonstrated in 2024 by both sides. With the launch of the 'India-Germany Platform for Investments in Renewable Energy Worldwide', which Federal Development Minister Schulze and Energy Minister Joshi launched on September 16, 2024, during the 4th RE-Invest in Gandhinagar, we have taken this partnership to a new level. With our commitments this year, Germany has made it clear that it reliably fulfils its international obligations," explained Barbara Schafer, the head of the German delegation, the press release added.

"It is important for us not only to make commitments but also to achieve concrete results. We have already succeeded in many areas in our partnership with India: through Indo-German cooperation, 7,700 kilometres of modern transmission lines have been built, and with German (co-)financing, metros in Mumbai, Surat, and Ahmedabad, as well as the water metro in Kochi, have been constructed. Germany supports Indian farmers in making their agricultural production more climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and sustainable. Additionally, we are working on triangular projects in Peru and various African countries to leverage our respective strengths there," Schafer noted.

These developments create favourable conditions for the upcoming Indo-German government consultations at the level of Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Scholz, scheduled for October 2024 in New Delhi, the press release said.

"The term 'sustainable energy transition' takes on a new quality when Germany and India combine their unique capabilities, setting a positive example not only in their own countries but also globally," said Uwe Gehlen, Head of German Development Cooperation in India and Minister Counsellor at the German Embassy.

Financial Commitment and Key Sectors

This year, Germany has allocated more than 1 billion euros for initiatives in these areas, in the form of concessional loans and technical cooperation for capacity building, the release stated. The funds are earmarked for projects in the sectors: renewable energy, transmission lines or energy distribution, urban development, mobility, forest ecosystems, water, sustainable and resilient agriculture, agroecology, vocational education, and cooperation with the National Mission for a Clean Ganga. (ANI)

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