"Count on your support to expedite FTA negotiations with EU": Jaishankar to German FM Wadephul

New Delhi [India], September 3 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday held a delegation-level meeting with his German Counterpart Johann Wadephul.

In his opening remarks, S Jaishankar pushed for Germany's support to expedite the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union.

"We count on your support to deepen our relationship with the European Union and expedite the FTA negotiations. India and Germany have a strong history of multilateral cooperation, which, I am confident, will be further advanced through our talks today," S Jaishankar said.

This is the first visit of the German Foreign Minister to India since Chancellor Friedrich Merz formed the government this year.

S Jaishankar highlighted the significance of India-Germany relations and expressed gladness over Johann Wadephul's visit to Bengaluru, suggesting that both nations have immense potential for cooperation in technology.

"We are also aware that this is one of your early visits outside Europe and we appreciate your coming to India very much...We are marking 25 years of strategic partnership, 50 years of scientific cooperation, almost 60 years of cultural agreements and as you saw in Bangalore, more than a century of business interactions. I am glad that you had an opportunity during this visit to go to Bengaluru and see the immense potential of our cooperation in technology," S Jaishankar said.

David Wadephul arrived in New Delhi following his engagement in Bengaluru as part of his two-day official visit to the country.

The German Foreign Minister also met with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal today, which the German Ambassador to India Phillip Ackermann described as a productive discussion on strengthening trade, investment & innovation ties.

"German Foreign Minister Dr. Johann Wadephul meeting with Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal. Productive discussions on strengthening trade, investment & innovation ties," Ackermann said in a post on X.

Earlier, Piyush Goyal said that Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between India and the European Union are in an advanced stage, as the two sides are making significant progress.

Speaking to the reporters in the national capital, Goyal said, "We have reached a very advanced stage in our FTA with the European Union. The Commerce Secretary, as we speak, is in a meeting in Brussels with his counterpart, the DG of the EU. Their team is coming down later this week and will be in active negotiation with us. Minister trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic (European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security) is coming down on the 12th of this month and we are making very active and significant progress."

The FTA negotiations between the two sides are expected to conclude in 2025. India last month said the two sides engaged in a forward-looking and substantive dialogue to address global trade challenges and reaffirm their shared resolve to conclude the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025. (ANI)

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