NewKerala.com

German Chancellor Praises India Ties, Highlights Visa Surge in Bangalore

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concluded a two-day visit to India, emphasizing the strength of people-to-people connections between the two nations. He revealed that around 250,000 people in India are learning German and that Bangalore is the top global location for German visa issuance. The cooperation focuses on addressing Germany's severe worker shortage by facilitating the movement of Indian students and skilled professionals. The visit included high-level engagements with Indian leadership and the India-German CEO Forum to boost trade and innovation ties.

Key Points: German Chancellor Lauds India-Germany People-to-People Ties

  • 250,000 Indians learning German
  • Bangalore top for German visas
  • Addressing Germany's worker shortage
  • Expanding vocational training collaboration
  • High-level visit to strengthen bilateral ties
2 min read

"Opportunity that benefits both our economies," German Chancellor lauds people-to-people ties with India

Chancellor Friedrich Merz highlights booming German language learning in India and visa issuance in Bangalore as key to mutual economic benefit.

"Language, work, and exchange connect people -- an opportunity that benefits both our economies. - Friedrich Merz"

Berlin, January 14

Federal Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz lauded the cooperation between Germany and India in the form of people-to-people ties.

Merz said that around 250,000 people in India are learning German.

He said, "Around 250,000 people in India are learning German. There is no place in the world where Germany issues more visas than here in Bangalore. Language, work, and exchange connect people -- an opportunity that benefits both our economies and serves the interests of our countries."

Germany is facing a severe shortage of workers, especially in blue collar occupations. India places a high priority on facilitating movement of students, apprentices and workers aiming to take up employment in Germany, collaboration to provide dual vocational training to Indian students as per German standards with the aim of accelerating mobility of skilled workers, and taking other measures to promote fair migration for employment purposes, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Bilateral cooperation in this area has been expanding at several fronts- between Central Governments, agencies of Central/State governments and among private enablers, as per the MEA.

Meanwhile, Merz concluded his two-day official visit to India on Tuesday, following a series of high-level engagements aimed at strengthening India-Germany ties.

According to a press release from the Gujarat CMO, Chancellor Merz participated in several cultural and strategic programmes alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat and attended the India-German CEO Forum, which focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and innovation.

Following his engagements, Chancellor Merz departed from Ahmedabad Airport for Germany, where he received a warm farewell from Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and other senior dignitaries.

Several top officials were present at the airport, including Chief Secretary MK Das, Additional Chief Secretary of the General Administration Department Anju Sharma, Ahmedabad City Police Commissioner GS Malik, Chief Protocol Officer Jwalant Trivedi, District Collector Sujeet Kumar, and senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the release stated.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The focus on dual vocational training is key. It's not just about sending people abroad, but about creating a system where skills are recognized globally. This can raise standards here in India too. Win-win!
P
Priya S
Bangalore issuing the most German visas is no surprise! The tech hub connection is strong. Hope this partnership extends beyond blue-collar to more IT and green energy collaborations. Our startups could learn a lot from German engineering precision.
R
Rohit P
While opportunities are great, we must ensure our skilled workers are treated fairly abroad with proper wages and rights. The government should have strong mechanisms for grievance redressal. "Fair migration" needs to be more than just a phrase.
K
Karthik V
People-to-people ties are the strongest foundation for any relationship. When our students and professionals work in Germany, they become cultural ambassadors. This soft diplomacy is invaluable for India's global image. Good step!
M
Michael C
The German vocational training model is world-class. If we can adapt that system here, it could solve our own skill gap issues in manufacturing. Hope the collaboration focuses on building capacity within India as well, not just exporting talent.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50