German-Indian Green ''Sustainable Development Partnership: Ambassador Speaks

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI) The German-Indian Green and Sustainable Development Partnership is a "long-lasting partnership" and will lead to "very good results" when Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi in October, Ambassador Philipp Ackermann said.

In an interview with PTI at the German embassy in New Delhi on Thursday, the German envoy also said the partnership reflected the "intensity and closeness" in the friendship between India and Germany.

Scholz and Modi, in May 2022, signed the German-Indian Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP), which gears cooperation between the two countries across different sectors towards the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

"India and Germany have developed a partnership, the partnership for green and sustainable development, and this partnership is covering many, many aspects of climate change, smart city initiatives, biodiversity, and these climate talks which we hold today is in the framework of this partnership," Ackermann said.

"It's a very important partnership, which is well-funded and which reflects the intensity and closeness in the friendship between India and Germany," he added.

The German envoy said progress in the partnership during the two years had been good.

"The progress has been good, we have a lot of different projects over the years. Every year we identify new projects and we bring projects to an end. So, when on October 25, the chancellor will come and sit down with Prime Minister Modi, and take stock ... we will have very, very good results of this partnership," he said.

Asked if Scholz was arriving on October 25, he said, "So, that is the plan. He is arriving in the second half of October. The chancellor will come for the intergovernmental consultations that will be held in Delhi in 2024."

In June, Ackermann had told reporters that the date for Scholz's visit were being finalised and it was set to take place in the second half of October.

Scholz is set to visit India to hold wide-ranging talks with Modi, with a focus on boosting bilateral trade and economic relations.

Ackermann had earlier said that "the ease of doing business" in India would be on the top of the agenda during Scholz's trip.

On Thursday evening, the German ambassador took part in a panel discussion on "Women as Agents of Climate Action" at the embassy.

"Germany and India have concluded this partnership green and sustainable development. It is a well-funded, long-lasting partnership, a partnership we are very proud of … the partnership is very concrete," he told the gathering.

Asked if there was an academic collaboration between the two sides on issues related to studying, analysing or positing possible roadmaps for tackling climate change and measures to mitigate its impact, he said the good thing about the Indo-German partnership was that "it goes way beyond government-to-government".

"GSDP is a government-to-government programme but, out of this context, we have a lot and lot of partnerships and that includes, of course, academic partnerships, between IITs and technical universities in Germany, Potsdam Institute for Climate (Impact) Research. And both sides are getting together to find good solutions," he added.

He also spoke on the defence cooperation between the two sides in light of the ongoing air exercise 'Tarang Shakti' in Tamil Nadu's Sulur.

"I had the enormous privilege to go to Sulur on Tuesday with the Indian Air Force (IAF). It was a fantastic moment to see all the fighter jets coming in … I must say, the German air chief flew one of the fighter jets for five hours from Malaysia and Sulur, and the (IAF) vice-chief also flew an Indian plane and escorted the German fleet. It was really, quite a moment," he said.

"I think it is a wonderful opportunity to show how close the Indian Armed Forces and the German air forces work together and this is certainly the start for a series of joint exercises in the years to come," the envoy said.

Ahead of the air exercise, Ackermann on Monday said this was the first time that the German Air Force was exercising with the IAF and this extensive exercise "deepens our security and political ties" with India.

The first phase of 'Tarang Shakti' -- the largest multilateral air exercise in the country -- is set being held in from August 6-14. It will see participation of four countries -- Germany, France, Spain and the UK -- with their assets.