German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to be in India on 25-26th Feb, visit to Bangalore on the cards

The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, will be visiting India from the 25th to the 26th of February. This ishis first visit to the country, since taking office in December 2021. During his two-day trip, he will hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and later visit Bangalore.

Ahead of the Chancellor's visit, German Foreign and Security Policy Advisor, Dr Jens Plötner, held talks with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar in Delhi. The talks focused on cooperation in the areas of climate change, Afghanistan, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the preparation for the Chancellor's visit.

Dr Plötner expressed his optimism about the relationship between Germany and India, saying, "there is hardly any area - culture, science, economy - in which tremendous work is not going on." He commented on India's role in mediating the conflict in Europe and said, "the voice of New Delhi is one which is heard very clearly, one which is listened to in Moscow, and that makes it all the more important".

Regarding the tensions between India and China, he expressed his concerns and stressed the importance of dialogue, saying, "we see with concerns the tension...and this is not an area where arms should speak, dialogue is needed, and I see this willingness on the Indian side".

Regarding visas for Indian students, Dr Plötner emphasized that German universities welcome Indian students and that the visa process is an important aspect of their engagement with India. However, he acknowledged the current waiting time for visas was too long and that the embassy was working to reduce the length of the visa procedure. He said, "it is in the best interest of Indian students to acquire their visas in an orderly manner".

The German security chief praised the partnership between Germany and India, stating that the two countries share similar views on how international relations should be organized. He said, "We consider India a cornerstone of Germany's international engagement and love working with the country".