The war was also “above all a major catastrophe” because Russia had violated the international principle “that one does not use force to move borders,” said Scholz after a meeting with Modi in the Indian capital. “And in this respect it is very important that we have repeatedly found very clear statements on this subject in the United Nations.”
India is heavily dependent on Russia for energy and armaments. So far, the country has not condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. On Thursday, it again abstained from a vote at the UN General Assembly on a resolution calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops. 141 of the 193 UN member states voted in favor of the text.
Since the start of the Ukraine conflict, India’s goal has been “to resolve it through dialogue and diplomacy,” Modi said in a joint statement to the press. “India stands ready to contribute to any peace talks.”
Regarding a twelve-point plan to end the conflict that China presented on Friday, Scholz told German journalists that the initiative had “clearly visible upsides and downsides.” “Remarkably correct” is, for example, “the renewed condemnation of the use of nuclear weapons”. But the clear demand for a withdrawal of Russian troops is missing.
With the presidency of large industrialized and emerging countries (G20), India has taken on a “very responsible role in difficult times” this year, said Scholz. It must be ensured that the Russian war of aggression in Asia, Africa or South America “does not lead to price increases, to energy shortages, to food shortages.”
Scholz arrived in India on Saturday with an eleven-strong business delegation for a two-day visit. Among them are representatives of the companies Siemens, ThyssenKrupp, SAP and Deutsche Post.
In New Delhi, the Chancellor pointed out that 1,800 German companies were already active in India. He emphasized the potential of cooperation in the field of renewable energies and the exchange of specialists. Scholz promised to work for a speedy conclusion of the planned free trade agreement with the EU and, after years of negotiations, to put “more pressure”.
Four declarations of intent were signed. This includes a framework plan for joint projects in the field of innovation and technology, a pilot project for the exchange of solar experts, the creation of a hydrogen research institute in India with the participation of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the expansion of existing production of hydrogen fuel cells in India with the German company SFC Energy.
Another important area is “security and defense cooperation,” said the Indian prime minister, whose country has been in a border conflict with China for decades. She could “become an important pillar of our partnership”. Both sides could unleash “untapped potential” here.
According to the Bloomberg news agency, the German ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann, said before the visit that ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems was one of two candidates to build six submarines for the Indian Navy. The order would therefore be worth around five billion dollars (around 4.7 billion euros). However, it was said from German government circles that no decisions in this area were expected during the visit.
Scholz travels to Bangalore in southern India on Sunday. Among other things, visits to a branch of the German software specialist SAP and a manufacturer of replaceable battery cells for small vans are on the agenda there.
