Germany Strongly Backs Early Conclusion of India-EU FTA

Immense potential to scale up ties: Modi after meeting German foreign minister

- ARCHIS MOHAN

Germany is keen on doubling the bilateral trade with India and the country also "strongly" supports speedy negotiation and sealing of the India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement (FTA) by autumn this year, its foreign minister Johann Wadephul said here on Wednesday.

Wadephul is on a two-day visit to India.

It comes against the backdrop of the US' imposition of steep 50 per cent tariffs on India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's huddle with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

At a joint press briefing with his Indian counterpart, S Jaishankar, the German foreign minister said, "If others set up barriers to trade, we should respond by lowering these barriers and hurdles."

Alluding to India's ties with Russia, and its purchase of Russian oil, Wadephul said, "I know that we don't 100 per cent see eye to eye with our Indian friends on this," and urged New Delhi to use its relations with Moscow to convince Russia to have peace with Ukraine.

Wadephul sidestepped the question on the US' move to impose steep tariffs on New Delhi.