India could become energy exporter in couple of years, Germany may buy green hydrogen: Envoy
New Delhi, July 30
Germany will import green hydrogen from India in the coming years, German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann said on Thursday, noting that India could emerge as an energy exporter. He identified renewable energy, artificial intelligence and the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as key areas that could drive future bilateral economic cooperation.
"I think India in a couple of years will be an energy exporter... I think Germany might be a country that is a client of this green hydrogen in the future," Ackermann said at the Indo-German Industries Dialogue organised by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.
Terming renewable energy a strategic pillar of India-Germany ties, Ackermann said both countries were working to deepen cooperation in hydrogen technologies.
"I understand that our ministry now is working together with India on hydrogen in a very concrete way," he said.
Recalling his visit to the Adani Group's renewable energy project in Kutch, Gujarat, the Ambassador said he was impressed by the scale of India's solar and wind energy generation and its plans for green hydrogen.
"They created there the incredible amount of electricity they can generate through this solar and wind field. They have very ambitious plans about green hydrogen," he said.
Ackermann also highlighted the MoU between ThyssenKrupp and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to advance the localisation of alkaline water electrolyzer technology.
"It's very, very important to combine electrolysis technology with strong local engineering and manufacturing to support implementation of green hydrogen projects," he said.
AI, semiconductors, digital manufacturing and Industry 5.0 would form another major area of cooperation, he said, as the two countries seek to build technology partnerships and new value chains.
"We are in the midst of transforming production and creating entirely new value chains and new jobs," Ackermann said.
Referring to the AI Summit held in New Delhi earlier this year, he said India and Germany had agreed to deepen digital cooperation and launched a bilateral AI pact aimed at combining India's AI and software capabilities with Germany's industrial strengths. The initiative also seeks to improve market access for startups and small and medium enterprises, diversify supply chains and promote responsible AI development.
On trade, Ackermann termed the proposed India-EU FTA "maybe the biggest game changer for German businesses in India" and expressed hope that it would be signed by the end of this year and implemented in the first half of next year.
Responding to a question from ANI on the sidelines of the event, Ackermann said Germany remained optimistic about bilateral trade ties, noting that it is India's largest trading partner in Europe, with annual trade exceeding USD 50 billion. He said the FTA could boost German business engagement and investment in India.
On the proposed submarine deal, Ackermann said, "I am very hopeful and confident that it will be signed very soon, in the next month maybe." He also described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an "extremely forthcoming" and "extremely engaged" partner, saying, "We see the Prime Minister as a very strong friend of Germany."
— ANI
Reader Comments
The India-EU FTA is the real game changer here. German envoy is right—$50 billion trade already, and with an FTA, our startups and SMEs could get real market access in Europe. But we need to ensure our farmers and small industries aren't hurt in the process. Balanced deal needed, not just a rush to sign. 🤔
Impressed by the ambassador's visit to Adani's Kutch project. But we must be careful—green hydrogen is capital-intensive and water-hungry. In a water-stressed region like Kutch, we need to ensure desalination or other solutions are in place. Otherwise, it's just greenwashing. Good intentions, but execution matters! 🌊💧
The AI and Industry 5.0 cooperation is what excites me most. India has the software talent, Germany has the manufacturing might. Combine them and we could create global value chains right here. The AI pact they signed could be a blueprint for future tech partnerships. Just hope it's not all talk—let's see concrete projects! 💻🤝
As someone working in the energy sector in Germany, I can tell you the demand for green hydrogen here is enormous. Our industries need it to decarbonize steel, chemicals, and transport. India's solar potential is unmatched—you could produce hydrogen cheaper than almost anywhere. This partnership makes perfect economic and environmental sense. Great to see it moving forward! 🌍⚡
The submarine deal mention is
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