New Delhi: Germany is ready to sign the proposed submarine partnership with India once the Indian side completes the required approvals, German Ambassador to India Jasper Wieck said, stressing that the deal is envisaged as a technology partnership rather than merely a sale of submarines.
Speaking to ANI, the German Ambassador said the proposed partnership involving German defence major Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) would focus on production in India and technology transfer.
"I think the most important about this deal is that it is a real partnership. It is not about a German company, TKMS, selling its submarines in India. No. It's about producing. It's about technology transfer in India," he said.
The Ambassador said the partnership would benefit several companies and contribute to the development of India's broader maritime ecosystem.
"Many companies and the entire ecosystem in the maritime field will benefit from this deal and this partnership," he said.
Asked about the timeline for signing the deal, the German envoy said Berlin was ready to proceed whenever India completes the necessary approvals.
"Germany stands ready to sign at any moment as soon as the Indian side is ready. So we are waiting the final approval from the various authorities from the Indian side, and then we can kickstart this very important partnership," he said.
The proposed submarine project is part of broader India-Germany defence and industrial cooperation, with technology transfer and domestic production forming key elements of the partnership.
Earlier, in August, India and Germany signed and exchanged the Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and an Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Training, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the strategic defence partnership between the two countries.
The agreements were signed during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's three-day official visit to the European nation.
According to a release from the Ministry of Defence, the agreements are expected to strengthen institutional collaboration between the two sides and broaden opportunities for joint training, capacity building, and capability development in the defence sector.
Singh and his German counterpart, the Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, were present during the agreement signing and exchange.
