Wadephul in India

Germany's India Outreach in a Fragmented Europe

- By Pamreihor Khashimwo

Johann Wadephul's official visit to India from 1-3 September 2025 is more than a routine diplomatic stop; it is a visible attempt by Berlin to reframe its India policy at a moment when Europe itself is reconfiguring its strategic priorities. The trip, which included meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, was explicitly pitched as a push to deepen a multifaceted strategic partnership across business, technology, space, and security.

Why now? The answer is Germany's Zeitenwende (“times-turns”); since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, German policymakers and the public have been forced to rethink longstanding constraints on foreign and security policy, from defence spending to export controls and strategic outreach beyond Europe. Wadephul's India visits, therefore, should be read as part of Berlin's search for reliable partners in Asia while managing domestic political sensitivities and European obligations.

Three themes framed Wadephul's messaging in Delhi: economics and trade, technology and industrial ties, and security cooperation. Economically, Germany has set an ambitious tone; officials and analysts have flagged a goal to expand bilateral trade and align on cooperative projects that anchor German industry in India's market and supply chains. Berlin sees India as a hedge against excessive dependence on single suppliers and as a market for higher-value manufacturing and green technologies—an objective amplified by conversations on an EU-India trade architecture.