India-Germany in Focus

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Disclaimer: 'India-Germany in Focus' is a special publication. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Embassy of India, Berlin or the Government of India. The magazine has no commercial value and is not for sale. It is for private circulation only.

Contents“Indo-German Ties : Great Distance Left to Traverse” .......................................................................... 4 Ambassador of India

“Tremendous Potential for Cooperation between India and Germany” .................................................. 7 Finance Minister of India

Organic Farming in India .................................................................................................................... 10

President Patil Confers Jawaharlal Nehru Award on German Chancellor Dr. Merkel ...........................12

“The EU’s New Political Role and Europe’s Relations with India” ........................................................ 14 Minister of State, Foreign Office, Germany

Chancellor Merkel and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Inaugurate Year of Germany in India ...........19

Angela Merkel’s Visit to India Signals a Fruitful Relationship ............................................................. 20

Brain Drain has Now Become a Brain Gain ......................................................................................... 22

India, Germany May Witness More Deals Over Next Two Years – Analysis ........................................ 24

Indo-German Strategic Partnership, and its Importance Today .......................................................... 26

Sweet Pill for Kerala-Medical Tourism .............................................................................................. 28

India-Germany Pictorial Journey ........................................................................................................ 30

Bilateral Visits Between India and Germany........................................................................................ 32

Strengthening Indo-German Partnership- CII .................................................................................... 34

World's Only Sanskrit Daily Turns 42 ................................................................................................. 36

Tradition and Departure - Cultural Relations between India and Germany .......................................... 38

Indian Ports Poised for a Huge Growth .............................................................................................. 40

Home Stay at Coorg with Freshly Brewed Coffee, Butterflies ............................................................. 42

Release of Book on Tagore and Germany ........................................................................................... 44

India and Germany Sign MoU on Biomedical Research ..................................................................... 45

Establishment of Indo-German S&T Centre ........................................................................................ 45

Interesting Facts About India .............................................................................................................. 46

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4INDIA-GERMANY in Focus

Ambassador's Interview

“Indo-German Ties : Great Distance Left to Traverse” - Ambassador

The Ambassador of India to Germany, H.E. Mr. Sudhir Vyas in an interview with journalist Harun Riaz shares his views why India enjoys goodwill and

warmth with Germany. Excerpts are as follows;

H.E. Mr. Sudhir VyasAmbassador of India to Germany

Excellency, as Germany is promoting the bilateral ties by organizing ‘Year of Germany in India’, are you already preparing to hold the ‘Days of India in Germany’ in 2012-13?

Yes, we are planning for the Days of India in Germany, with the theme Connecting Cultures to begin in mid-2012 and continue into 2013. The Days will reach out to the broadest possible section of the German public, with special emphasis on youth. We envisage The Days in the form of a series of celebratory events across Germany, covering cultural, business-related and academic engagements that aim at bringing out the enormous potential for

enhancing our bilateral exposure in these fields. Our programmes, which are still being drawn up, will include exhibitions by Indian artists, participation in international trade fairs and film festivals, performances by cultural ensembles in Germany, seminars, panel discussions and workshops on Indian literature and so on. We plan to anchor the inauguration of The Days in the Hamburg Port Festival in May 2012, at which India is a partner country.

There is genuine warmth for India in Germany and interest in its culture, and a marvelous history of scholarship in Sanskrit, in classical Indian studies, in our philosophy, literature and poetry, and we are looking at presenting not just the classical face of our

country but the richness and diversity of the values, capacities and achievements of today’s India as well. Many of the personalities and artists for these programmes will be from India, but in addition, we also are planning to use local expertise within the expatriate Indian community – and draw upon German knowledge and interest wherever possible.

Given the statements from Indian leadership, it is obvious that there is huge potential to increase bilateral trade with Germany, which at present is 15 billion euros. Though the relationship has completed 60 years, but volume of trade has remained low?

The potential for growth of our economic relations, in all their aspects – and I am not speaking just of trade, but also of investments, joint ventures, R&D and academic exchanges, science, technology and innovation, in short all that contributes to the growth, well-being and vitality of our countries and our people – is enormous, and I would be the first to admit that there is still a great distance left to traverse. But see the figures. After economic liberalization in India and the fall of the Berlin wall, economic exchanges with Germany have grown exponentially. Consider that the annual rate of growth of our bilateral trade had reached a peak of 39% a couple of years before the world economy plunged

5 INDIA-GERMANY in Focus

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh being received by Ambassador Vyas in Berlin on December 11, 2010

into a global crisis in 2008-09 and even as we were pulling out of the crisis, our trade grew by over 17% in 2010, and in the first few months of this year it has risen again to 28.4%. We are well poised to reach our target of €20 billion by next year. The fundamental stability and capacity of our markets, the confidence reposed by investors in our economic management and our human resources are all positive factors that – with the strong showing by the German economy lately – offer confidence that this relationship will continue to grow. Germany is India’s largest trade partner in Europe, and I am also happy that the bilateral trade is today increasingly diversified, covering a whole range of goods and services.

In what way the Indo-German ties are ‘Strategic’ in nature? Despite massive diplomatic efforts over the past few years, both India and Germany haven’t yet got the required support to become the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Is this a foreign policy failure?

‘Strategic’ implies that India and Germany visualize our relationship as going beyond the purely bilateral, that we have a legitimate role to play and a capacity to contribute to the promotion of international peace, stability and well-being across the world. And when we speak of a strategic partnership, we agree to work together to bring our capabilities and respective strengths to this end. Our strategic partnership draws together the diverse strands of our relationship to put them to best use in dealing with global challenges, and is reflected and has been further strengthened with the holding of the first Intergovernmental Consultations held earlier this year during Chancellor Merkel’s visit to Delhi. We have several institutionalized arrangements to carry our strategic dialogue forward, in varied political, defence, security and economic areas.

UN Security Council reform is a broader question which is being addressed separately at the United Nations. We have regular consultations with our partners on the issue and Germany is a very important partner, as part

of the G-4 initiative. I would say that these efforts are moving forward in the right direction. This is a process whose outcome, I would say, is clear to all, and the world is now moving inexorably towards addressing the historical inadequacies and a UN Security Council that is more reflective of contemporary realities.

How wi l l you descr ibe the acquisitions of many German companies by Indian businesses? Have Indian companies faced difficulties in managing these firms due to cultural differences?

This is one aspect of globalization that can only work to mutual benefit, opening up technological know-how and markets, promoting innovation and competition, bringing new capacities, strategies and managerial inputs, creating jobs and exposing each others’ workforce to new approaches. There have been a number of acquisitions by Indian companies in Germany in recent years, and such FDI from India has often involved the SME sector and family-owned businesses in both countries. Indians can be


very adaptable and flexible in their approach in meeting such challenges and opportunities.

Handled with sensitivity, cultural aspects actually offer openings for the combined talent available through such mergers to build a pool of managers and professionals that is at ease in both cultures and business environments. It serves to expand business horizons and open new avenues, to serve

Short answer – with great warmth and openness. I am impressed with the goodwill that India and its people enjoy in Germany. India is seen as a country that shares values of democracy, individual freedoms and the rule of law, a country with a rich culture of managing diversity that can stand the world in good stead – a source of stability and a voice of constructive moderation, whose

the interests of any organization that approaches the issues with creativity and sensitivity. There are many examples of such successful M&As between Indian and Germany, both small and large, who have managed the business merger and their human resources very well.

As an Ambassador of India, how are you received and perceived during your interaction with the political and business leadership of Germany? And what role an Ambassador plays in terms of policy making and quick decision making, when it comes to promotion of bilateral ties?

economic weight and human capital is playing a determining role globally. Our expanding relations in all fields and the excellent rapport that exists between our leadership are, of course, assets that permit me to be perceived in Germany as an Ambassador of a close partner and a rising power. I try to perform the role expected of me i.e. to promote, protect and further India’s interests and its engagement in an ever more interconnected world.

Has the tourism campaign ‘Incredible India’ been a success among German tourists? If yes, can you provide the figures of

German tourists who visited India in 2009 and 2010, respectively?

The campaign ‘Incredible India’ has been a success in Germany. Witness the growing interest in visiting India, in learning about India and even working there, especially among the youth. We have an Office of India Tourism in Frankfurt, which is doing a good job in promoting India as a tourist destination. India and Indian tourism agencies also participate in a major way at the International Tourism Bourse in Berlin, the world’s largest tourism fair, every year. As for the figures, our records show that we issued 1,43,800 visas in 2009 and 1,68,400 in 2010. But there are many Germans who may hold long-term or other visas, so these figures may not record actual footfalls.

There are few Germany journalists who are based in India. Do you read regular news about India in the German media? Why there are no Indian journalists based in Germany?

Yes, we do get a fair amount of coverage of India in the German media, and a number of German newspapers and television channels have resident bureaux in India. There are several Indians who work for the German media’s targeted regional language broadcasts too, as well as some freelance journalists that provide reporting for Indian news media. Other journalists cover Germany from elsewhere for our media. Why this is so, I think the question is better addressed to the Indian media houses. Given our growing bilateral ties and interests and Germany’s role and importance in Europe and the world, it is desirable that Indian media houses should look seriously at Germany for locating their Europe correspondents.

Ambassador's Interview

The Minister of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Anand Sharma with the Federal Minister of Economics & Technologies, Mr. Rainer Bruderle in Berlin on October

7, 2010. In the centre is Ambassador Vyas.


“Tremendous Potential for Cooperation between India and Germany”

Excerpts from the speech of Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee during 17th meeting of Joint Ministerial Commission between India and Germany

held in New Delhi in September 2010. The Minister focuses on biotechnology, infrastructure development, telecom and healthcare as

leading sectors to fully realise the potential.

The Finance Minister said that this meeting of the joint commission will give an opportunity for both the countries to identify their strengths as well as bottlenecks for making the process smoother in the coming months. This would give an impetus to our delegations to enhance their engagement to their full potential.

The Finance Minister also gave a brief account on the recent developments in the Indian economy and said that our economy has grown by 8.8 per cent in the first quarter of this current financial year due to an upswing in the manufacturing sector and a better farm output of 2.8 per cent.

The Finance Minister said that the Joint Working Groups under the Joint Commission have increased to seven from the earlier three which indicates that both India and Germany have expanded their areas of cooperation. Vocational training and agriculture have emerged as key areas of collaboration, the Finance Minister added.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rainer Bruderle, German Minister of Economics and Technology said that there is a great scope for investment by Indian industries in Germany and vice-versa. He said that both the countries have come out to the recent international financial crisis

Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee with the Federal Minister of Economics & Technologies, Mr. Rainer Bruderle during the

Joint Commission meeting in New Delhi held in September 2010

Bilateral Ties

India’s Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has said that there is tremendous potential for cooperation between India and Germany in various sectors including bio-technology, infrastructure

development, telecom and health care among others. Mr. Mukherjee was addressing the 17th Session of Indo-German Joint Commission Meeting on industrial and economic cooperation, on September 17, 2010 in New Delhi.


Bilateral Ties

successfully and have greater scope of cooperation in the field of energy including renewable energy and infrastructure sector among others.

Mr.Harshpati Singhania, Past President FICCI, Mr. S.K. Munjal, Past President, CII and Dr. Hubert Lienhard, Chairman of Indian Committee in the Asia Pacific Committee of German Business also spoke on the occasion.

The speech of the Finance Minister is given below:

“It is a great pleasure and honour for me to welcome Mr. Rainer Bruderle, German Minister for Economics and Technology and his delegation for the 17th Session of the Indo German Joint Commission on Industrial and Economic Cooperation. The last session was held in Berlin in September 2007. We could not hold the 17th session last year due to national elections in India as well as in Germany. I do hope that we will be able to adhere to our joint commitment of holding this meeting biannually in the future. During the last three years, both sides have shown significant commitment to expand our cooperation both bilaterally as well as in the multilateral fora such as in the G20 meetings.

I would also like to extend a very warm welcome to the distinguished Members of Parliament from Germany. I am also very happy to note that both delegations have Senior Officials as well as very eminent business representatives. This is indicative of the excellent state of our bilateral relations. India and Germany have a strategic partnership which has been cemented by high level bilateral exchanges. It was an honour for us to receive His Excellency Mr Hoerst Kohler, the then President of Germany in India in February this year. The announcement of the “Year of

Germany” in India during 2011-12 and the “Year of India” in Germany during 2012-13 during his visit indicates the high value we attach to our partnership. In addition to the Joint Commission Meet ing , we have several institutional arrangements such as a strategic dialogue at the level of the National Security Adviser and a Joint Working Group on counter-terrorism to discuss various bilateral and global issues of interest.

Our relationship in the field of trade and economics is one of the most dynamic facets of our bilateral partnership. Germany is India’s largest trade partner in Europe. During the visit of Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2007, both sides set a trade target of Euro 20 billion to be achieved by 2012. Despite the economic crisis, I understand that we are on track to achieve this target by 2012.

In terms of Foreign Direct Investments inflows into India in 2009, Germany was the eighth largest investor with inflows of

automatic route in most of the sectors/activities. Our policy has been liberalized progressively by allowing more industries under the automatic route. Only very few sectors are prohibited for FDI. The Government has further simplified FDI procedures in March 2010. From April 1, 2010, a consolidated policy on Foreign Direct Investment has been brought out by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion which is available in the website. It is the objective of the Government to promote foreign direct investment through a policy framework which is transparent, predictable, simple and clear and reduces regulator’s burden.

However, I feel that we have not yet reached our full potential. Tremendous potential exists for cooperation in various sectors such as bio-technology, infrastructure development, telecom, healthcare etc. I hope that today’s meeting will give us an opportunity to identify our strengths as well as the bottlenecks so that the

US $ 599.93 million. Indian investment into Germany has also increased in recent years. Indian FDI inflows into Germany, measured in terms of equity capital, increased from Euro 3 million to Euro 33 million during 2004-2008. Several Indian companies have purchased companies in Germany and I understand that they employ nearly 12000 people, mostly Germans, and thereby contribute significantly to the German economy.

In terms of Foreign Direct Investment, FDI upto 100 per cent is allowed under the

“Our relationship in the field of trade and economics is one of the most dynamic

facets of our bilateral partnership”

process becomes smoother in the coming months. This would give an impetus to our delegations to enhance their engagement to their full potential.

I would now like to brief you on the recent developments in the Indian Economy. While India also suffered the impact of the economic crisis, we were able to post a remarkable recovery in 2009-10. The turnaround came in the second quarter of 2009-10 with a growth of 8.6 percent. The revised estimates indicate that our economy has registered a growth of 7.4 per cent in 2009-10, which


Mumbai Industrial Corridor and the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial clusters offer new avenues for foreign investors.

The rising demand for energy has become another very important challenge for our economic growth. Energy availability is critical to attaining a 9-10 per cent growth rate, as 1 per cent growth needed 0.8 per cent increase in energy availability. While the overall generation of power has increased, we have launched several new programmes and projects with the aim to enhance the generation and transmission of energy in the country. We have a target of 30,000 MW of power from renewable energy sources, including 20,000 MW through solar power, by 2022. German companies are well known for their technology and innovation in these sectors. This could be another area for joint collaboration.

sectors. Vocational Training and agriculture have emerged as key areas of collaboration. We have recently agreed to expand the mandate of the Joint Working Group on Agriculture to include issues related to consumer affairs. I am happy to learn that most of the JWGs are working well. However, there are some areas which do not seem to have progressed up to the desired level. I would like to urge all the concerned Ministries and the business chambers to revive the JWGs which are non-functioning, especially the JWGs on Infrastructure and Tourism. Both these are very important for our economies and offer vast potential for cooperation.

I would also like to mention that several impediments such as difficulties with regard to visa and work permits continue to constraint our economic relations. I hope that we are able to find a way forward to deal with these issues so that our economic partnership can be further strengthened.

Indian companies continue to face difficulty due to denial / delay in issue of export licenses by the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) to the German companies supplying specific technology, equipment or material to India. I hope that, in view of our strategic partnership, there could be some progress to de-link India from the pre-permission category that is at present required for such export.

We also have substant ia l cooperation in the fields of Science and Technology, culture and education. I am sure that the 17th session of the Joint Commission will help to exchange ideas and information and assist in deepening our bilateral ties. The agenda for today’s meeting is vast and diverse and I look forward to frank and fruitful discussions during this joint commission.”

“The PPP route should offer attractive opportunities for German investors. The

Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial clusters offer

new avenues for foreign investors”

was driven by robust performance of the manufacturing sector on the back of government and consumer spending. In view of this, our Budget for 2010-11 initiated a partial roll back of stimulus measures and a resumption of the fiscal consolidation process by pegging fiscal deficit at 5.5 per cent of GDP in 2010-11.

I am also happy to inform you that the Indian economy grew by 8.8 per cent in the April – June quarter this year, especially, due to an upswing in the manufacturing sector (about 12.4 per cent) and a better farm out put of 2.8 per cent. This augurs well for the economy and I am optimistic that at the end of the year, we would be able to surpass our projection made in the Economic Survey of 8.5 to 8.75 per cent of GDP growth.

I hope that your visit will give you a direct feel of economic developments and prospects in India. India offers a young and

creative population and a steadily expanding market. Our economic growth agenda is complemented by a firm commitment to inclusive social policies that will make our growth sustainable and broad based.

Our infrastructure has lagged behind the acceleration in growth and presents a major challenge. We need much more investment in sectors such as power, roads, railways, ports and aviation. We have outlined an ambitious programme of investment in these areas to meet the deficit. This is based on a combination of public investment and public private partnership. The PPP route should offer attractive opportunities for German investors. The Delhi-

Over two hundred thousand tourists from Germany visited India last year. Similarly a large number of tourists from India have visited Germany. I feel that our cooperation is far below the potential. The flow of visitors will help to increase and strengthen people to people interaction. The tourism sector also offers significant opportunities for investment and joint collaboration in hotels and tourism infrastructure.

The Joint Working Groups (JWGs) under the Joint Commission have increased to seven from the earlier three. This is an encouraging sign as it indicates that we have expanded our cooperation to more areas and

Bilateral Ties


Organic Farming in India

Organic farming is a holistic production management system which promotes

and enhances health of agro-ecosystem related to bio-diversity, nutrient bio-cycle and soil biological and microbial activities. It is normally defined as a system of farming without use of chemical inputs (fertilizers/insecticides etc.) and is primarily based on principal of use of natural on farm organic inputs (like farm yard manure, green manure, oil cakes, press mud etc.) and also natural biological pest control and plant protection measures to promote agro-economic system and soil biological activity.

Growing Area

Organic farming in India started receiving focused attention from 2004-05 when National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) was launched. In 2004-05, area under organic farming was 42,000 hectares. By March 2010 area under farming had increased to 1.08 million hectares. In addition, 3.40 million hectares is wild forest harvest collection area. Thus total area under organic

certification process by March, 2010 was 4.48 million hectares which is 25 fold increase in last 6 years. In cultivated organic land 7,56 million hectares is certified while 3.2 million hectare is under conversion.

The S ta tes do ing we l l in organic farming are Madhya Pradesh(4.40million hectares), Maharashtra (1.50 mil l ion hectares) and Orissa (95,000 hectares), having largest area under organic. Among crops cotton is the single largest crop accounting for nearly 40 percent of total area followed by rice, pulses, oilseeds and spices. India is the largest organic cotton grower in world, and accounts for 50 percent share of total world organic cotton production.

Nearly 6.00 million farmers under 920 grower groups produce 18.00 million tonnes of different organic commodities valued at Rs. 56-40 billion at farm gate price. Out of 18 million tonnes organic produce, 54000 tonnes of produce valued at Rs. 561 billion was exported. Export of organic products has also grown steadily over the years.

Value of exports which was Rs. 301 billion in 2006-07 has increased to 525.5 billion in 2009-10.

States Adopting Organic Farming

Nine States have drafted organic farming policies. Out of these, four States viz; Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Sikkim and Mizoram have declared their intention to go 100 percent organic. Sikkim has already converted nearly 40 percent of its total cultivated area under organic and has set target to convert entire State to organic by 2015. Other States have also defined schemes to promote organic farming. Recently Bihar has sanctioned a scheme worth Rs. 256 billion for promotion of organic farming for period 2010-11 to 2014-15. This scheme is 100 percent State Plan Scheme and entire funds shall be borne by State Government. The Scheme funded by the Central Government will be in addition to this scheme.

Promotion of Organic Farming

Organic farming is being promoted under National Project on Organic Farming (NPOF) , Nat iona l

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India Feature


Horticulture Mission (NHM) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).

Regulatory Mechanism

For qualify assurance country has internationally acclaimed certification process in place for export, import and domestic m a r k e t s . F o r e i g n T r a d e Development and Regulation Act for exports and Agriculture

Produce Grading, Marketing and Certification Act for domestic.

Assistance

Impor tan t components o f ass is tance being provided under NPOF inter-alia include assistance to input production (large compost plants and bio-fertilizers), Quality control of organic inputs, Human resource development through trainings,

Organic Farmer, Melkote in Karnataka State, India

PGS facilitation, Biological soil health assessment and awareness creation.

Main components under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) to assist organic farming are financial assistance to States for adoption and certification and financial assistance to States for vermin-compost production.

While need to maximize crop yield to meet the growing demand for food grains is critical, agricultural productivity has to be sustained in long run. There has been a deterioration in soil health due to removal of crop residues and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, aided by distorted prices. To address these issues, the Government proposes to promote organic farming, methods, combining modern technology with traditional farming practices like green manuring, biological pest control and weed management. These measures will give further push to organic farming. (PIB Features)

*Inputs from Ministry of Agriculture

National Project on Organic Farming was launched in 2004-05

India Feature


It gives me immense pleasure to confer the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International

Understanding, on Her Excellency Dr. Angela Dorothea Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, for her outstanding efforts in promoting harmony, stability and progress at a time of international transition. Through her focus on the major issues of our times - sustainable and equitable development, good governance, the evolution of a representative global order

ref lect ive of contemporary realities, Chancellor Merkel has contributed to shaping global discourse on these very significant issues.

I congratulate Dr. Merkel for winning the Jawaharlal Nehru A w a r d f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l Understanding, which has been constituted in the memory of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the great leaders of India's freedom movement and our popular first Prime Minister. He

Following is the transcript of official speech by President of India, Mrs Pratibha Devisingh Patil while conferring the Nehru Award for International

Understanding on May 31, 2011 at President House in New Delhi

President Patil Confers Jawaharlal Nehru Award on German Chancellor Dr. Merkel

The German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel receives the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding for the year 2009 from President of India,

Pratibha Devisingh Patil at the Presidential Palace in New Delhi

was a visionary statesman, a strong advocate of global peace and of promoting understanding among nations, as well as creating an equitable world order. He was instrumental in formulating India's independent world vision. Under Pandit Nehru's guidance and able leadership, India, an ancient civilization with a diverse multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-cultural social fabric evolved into a modern nation. It was, indeed, a herculean task as India, like many other countries, was emerging from centuries of colonial rule, and had to deal with a series of complex issues in its nation building efforts. Prime Minister Nehru steered the country in those difficult times, and developed a foreign policy based on the principles of sovereignty, tolerance, mutual respect, non-interference and peaceful co-existence. His principles found widespread acceptance in both developed and developing countries.

Chancellor Merkel, you represent a country that has demonstrated that the quest for democracy, the pursuit of freedom, and the strength of the human spirit can tear down any wall, however mighty and impregnable it might appear to be. Your country is held in very high esteem not only for the values of democracy, freedom and rule of law; but also as a technological super-power.

The world today faces newer challenges like global warming

Bilateral Ties

and climate change, in addition to our old challenges like poverty, hunger and disease. As we brace to combat these global issues, access to technology becomes indispensable. The developed countries and the developing countries have to co-operate and collaborate in order to find solutions acceptable to all. We appreciate your efforts in bringing together the developing and developed economies to strengthen the ongoing efforts in this direction. Moreover, your role in forging ties amongst the leading economies under the G-20 architecture for co-operation, in areas like global governance, counter terrorism, climate change and combating poverty, is commendable.

M a d a m C h a n c e l l o r , w e a c k n o w l e d g e a n d d e e p l y appreciate your efforts in steering the German economy out of

the global financial crisis, and providing leadership to the Eurozone in dealing with the effects of the financial crisis. Your endeavour to create a sustainable and equitable financial architecture, good governance structures and a competitive model, to ensure financial stability are significant steps.

Chancellor Merkel, India values your friendship and support in strengthening the multifaceted relationship between our two countries. Under your leadership, our traditionally friendly relations have transformed into a strategic pa r tne r sh ip , w i th s im i la r views in global economic and political spheres. We welcome wholeheartedly the initiatives to organise the ̀ Year of Germany in India' in 2011-12, with the theme of `Infinite Opportunities'; to be followed by the `Days of India

in Germany' in 2012-13, with the title of `Connecting Cultures'.

It is an honour and a privilege to confer the Jawaharlal Nehru Award on a great friend of India. Your earlier visit to India in 2007, and your current visit have made a deep impression on all of us, about your commitment to our bilateral relationship. May I also add that your achievements as the first woman Chancellor of Germany, and that too twice, have been a source of encouragement to many women across the world, and to all those working for gender empowerment. Your warmth and graciousness add to your steady and clear vision that goes beyond immediate pre-occupations. Please accept once again our felicitations and greetings for you personally, and our best wishes for the progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Germany.

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Bilateral Ties


“The EU’s New Political Role andEurope’s Relations with India”

Lecture by Dr. Werner Hoyer Minister of State at the Foreign Office Federal Republic of Germany on “The EU’s new Political Role and Europe’s Relations

with India” at Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi 31st May, 2011

Let me warmly thank you for your kind invitation to speak to

you today on the new political role of the European Union under the Lisbon Treaty, and which new opportunities arise for EU-Indian relations on this basis.

The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on First of December 2009 completes the sea change of the end of the cold war and the re-unification of Europe that brought about the reunification of my home country, Germany.

The success of the European Union, i.e. the vision of a European Union in freedom and prosperity played a key role in the historical changes that took place in Europe since the late 80’s. The EU is an unprecedented success story: it has built Europe from the ashes of World War II into one of the world’s leading economic markets, with a high degree of wealth and stability.

It has helped reconcile national resentment and has lifted barriers between member states. It was in the logic of history that we extended the EU’s promise and vision to the citizens of the Eastern European countries. With this moral and political imperative in mind we started the process of enlarging the European Union in the early 90’s.

In a parallel development, and while we were all actively planning for the grand design of “Europe of the 21st century”, we were very rapidly confronted with an atrocious war on our continent, namely in the Western Balkans. In the process of the implosion of an outdated totalitarian system, Yugoslavia dismembered into new nations which claimed their own sovereignty and democracy.

In the context of the Balkan crisis, it became clear that it was first and foremost Europe’s own responsibility to provide stability and peace in its neighbourhood. Notwithstanding the important

role of NATO and the US, the international community expected the European Union – and rightly so – to assert itself, and to also take its political destiny into its own hands.

The result of this process – to convert the European Union from a mainly economic community to a political entity – is the Lisbon Treaty. Please forgive me that I will spare you the lengthy details of this process.

The key innovations of the Lisbon treaty relate to more efficiency in decision-making, more transparency and last but not least more democracy. Regarding efficiency, we seek more coherence between policies of the different parts of the European Union, more

convergence between member states policies, and more continuity of European policies.

One of the most important changes is the newly designed function of a “High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy”. For the purposes of this speech, let me use a more practical term and call the function “European Foreign Minister”. As you know , Catherine Ashton has been nominated to this post. It goes with the establishment of a “European External Action Service”, a name carefully crafted to avoid admitting that it is essentially a European Foreign Service.

Dr. Werner Hoyer Minister of State at the Foreign Office Federal Republic of Germany

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The creation of the “European Foreign Minister” combines the function of a Vice - President of the European Commission for external policies with the former function of Javier Solana. In addition Cathy Ashton assumes the role of permanent Chair in the Foreign Affairs Council, where the EU Member States’s Foreign Ministers meet once per month.

We have also strengthened the “European Council”, i.e. the summit of EU leaders which by now disposes of an elected president, Herman van Rompuy. He chairs the meetings of the Council, represents the Union at summits and provides impulses for the work of the entire Union.

F i n a l l y , d e m o c r a c y a n d t r a n s p a r e n c y h a v e b e e n strengthened. Codecision by the elected European Parliament is now the rule almost everywhere, there is a possibility to submit a citizens initiative, and: the Treaty contains a detailed Charter on Fundamental Rights. Deliberations of government representatives on legislation are now open to the public. Budget control and accountability have been tightened. And there is almost complete access to relevant documents for the citizens.

So, new and more adequate instruments for the EU are now in place. I will in the following briefly outline how I see the foreign policy role of the EU under the conditions of the Lisbon Treaty.

First: The EU will strive to foster peace, stability and democracy in its neighbourhood. The EU addresses remaining challenges in Eastern Europe through its “Eastern Partnership”, and pursues an active policy towards the Balkans.

But the most spec tacu lar development is taking place in our Southern Neighbourhood. Since the beginning of this year, millions

of young and educated women and men have taken to the streets of Tunis, Cairo, Manama, Sana’a and now even Damascus. Few if any of them shouted for Jihad or Islamism. They collectively articulated their desire for freedom of expression, freedom from fear and persecution as well as their legitimate aspiration of a life in dignity and economic stability.

The EU – like others – has probably under-estimated, and maybe even misjudged what was going on in the texture of North African and other Arab societies. We have sometimes closed our eyes for the sake of an artificial form of “regional stability”. The lesson to be learned is that there is no contradiction between democracy and stability. On the contrary, durable stability can only be achieved in a context of democracy and freedom.

From the point of view of the European Union, we must contribute to giving the citizens of these countries a concrete perspective for a better life: by opening our markets to their goods and services, by helping build solid pillars of a lively civil society and by establishing and developing people to people contacts.

Second: the EU will continue to foster solutions for international peace and stability. This entails prevention as well as conflict solution. To this end it will make use of its new diplomatic capacity and the improved crisis management instruments. Our belief is that these efforts require international legitimacy. That is why we will continue to embed our efforts in overall multilateral strategies, ideally to be led by the United Nations.

With i ts own his tory and experience in mind, the EU has expertise and is particularly well placed to offer lead contributions

in conflict prevention and crisis management. The creation of a truly “European Security and Defense policy” under German Presidency in 1999 has enabled the EU to conduct, until today, a total of around 25 EU crisis management missions in almost all parts of the World, from the Balkans to Africa and from the Caucasus to the Aceh province.

It is therefore logical that advice and active contribution of Europe is solicited in many crisis theatres. This is all the more the case as we see that military power never suffices to bring about peace. It may well be a prerequisite to conflict resolution, but in most international conflicts “soft power” counts equally: police training, creation of an independent judiciary, mechanisms for dialogue and reconciliation, education etc.

Third, the EU will engage at a strategic level in relationships with major powers, like India, in search of a solution to global issues. We are convinced that we need to find new forms of global governance for the numerous and difficult challenges faced by mankind: combatting poverty and feeding an evergrowing world population, fighting diseases, which can be transmitted in a globalised world with the speed of intercontinental airplanes, finding efficient and sustainable ways of energy consumption,fighting global warming, establishing a fair and rules-based international financial system, agreeing on global rules for international trade, controlling and limiting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, combatting international terrorism and all forms of organised crime, including cyber-terrorism.

This list is by no means exhaustive. I will not outline at this point the many initiatives of the European Union in each and every field. I would rather like to point to one


common denominator: The EU believes that all these challenges require multilateral action to be decided in multilateral fora. “Effective Multilateralism” is, if you want, the EU’s trademark.

The EU is fully committed to maintaining and developing international law and the United Nations system. Action by the international community in response to the global challenges mus t be unde rp inned by international legitimacy. This is why we want to maintain the lead role of the UN in the fight against global warming. And that is also why we continue to strengthen the WTO in our effort to bring about fair rules for international trade.

The EU remains committed to maintain its own place in the international economic system as well as in global affairs. We in Europe are under no illusion regarding the challenges we face in a globalised world: Our population is shrinking, while the population of other regions is growing. Our share in global GDP and in world trade is receding. So is Europe’s overall share in world economic growth. There is a widespread feeling in Europe that its resources are not sufficiently translated into political clout.

On the other hand: The EU still holds the largest individual share in world GDP, and it is by far the biggest provider of development cooperation. It is also true that Europe remains a vital point of reference in global affairs: as a region of prosperity, dynamism and cultural activity, and as a hub for innovation in a globalised world.

In particular, we feel challenged to maintain Europe's leading world-wide role in science and technology. Europe will only be able to keep its place as an active contributor to world affairs, and its high standard and quality of life, if its researchers

and engineers continue to have the means to come up with new ideas for technological progress. It is one of the key elements of the EU's “Europe 2020” strategy to create the necessary conditions.

In particular, our scientists will address key topics like renewable energy, energy efficiency and intelligent transport solutions. We need progress on these issues

It is precisely Europe’s diversity that has spurred its dynamism.

Now I would like to turn to one of the big challenges the EU faces: how to foster its relations with its strategic partners and build partnerships which not only work to the satisfaction of both partners, but also contribute to peaceful and economically successful international development.

not only in Europe, but we also want to export products based on our researchers' creativity. In this process, we are also ready to share technologies with our international partners.The single market, and our common currency, the Euro as well as the elimination of all kinds of barriers have unfolded remarkable dynamism and, contrary to many predictions, our industry, services and agriculture have survived well, even in the last economic crisis.

But above all it is Europe’s values that count and that can contribute to a better, more prosperous, fairer and more secure world. Democracy, openness, pluralism, rule of law are and will remain the trademarks of the European Union. We in Europe remain convinced that a fair global order can only be achieved on the foundation of these values.

And let us not forget: the kind of peaceful coexistence and integration of nations with diverse traditions, histories, languages and cultures is and will remain an attractive model for other regions.

The EU needs better governance vis-à-vis strategic partners, i.e. better coherence and clearer prioritization. This includes more output driven summits, better integration of different EU meeting formats and of external and internal policies. We should make full use of the Lisbon tools, in particular the European Foreign Minister and the European Foreign Service.

I consider it a challenge for the EU that these ambitious goals will start to show concrete results also with one of the EU’s key strategic partners – India. The next EU-India summit will be a test for this.

Besides governance issues the EU has also started to review its substantive policy vis-a-vis each strategic partner with a view to clearer prioritization and better orientation towards results. To be quite frank: We feel that this process could be sped up vis- a-vis India. Germany, including at the highest level, has consistently pushed within the EU for a development of a focussed India strategy and for attention to India on the same footing as with other

We in Europe are under no illusion regarding the challenges we face in a globalised world: Our population is

shrinking, while the population of other regions is growing.

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strategic partners. We are sure that Baroness Ashton’s upcoming second visit to India will give these efforts a push.

Let me now turn to the EU-Indian relations in greater detail and recall, to start with, that India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the then European Economic Community (EEC) in the early 1960ies.

About three decades later, the Member States ratif ied the Maastricht Treaty of 1992 which transformed the EEC to the European Union and established the new tool of “Common Foreign and Security Policy”. As

levels, we think that considerably more progress in substance could be achieved.

Trying to identify possible obstacles to an intensification of EU-Indian cooperation there are two patterns for an explanation: First possible explanation: India considers the EU still an experiment and prefers cooperation on a traditional bilateral level. Should that be the case, India is about to miss an opportunity. Why?

Under the new Lisbon structure a l r e a d y d i s c u s s e d , E U coordination of Common Foreign and Security Policy Issues is steadily gaining importance. The basis for decisions of the

in the final stage of the climate negotiations.

Objection, Your Honour – allow me to disagree profoundly and cordially. Firstly, as regards the Security Council, the EU does include two P 5 – members, France and Great Britain. Currently, two more EU Member States – Germany and Portugal – are represented in that body.

Secondly, as already mentioned, through its Common Security and Defence Policy, the EU has at its disposal a unique combination of instruments of hard security and soft security. For that reason, the EU is able to contribute frequently to operations under UN auspices. Just to name two current examples in India’s neighbourhood: the EU provides security through its antipiracy mission Atalanta, and contributes to police training in Afghanistan through its “EUPOL” mission.

Thirdly, the reason for the EU debacle in Copenhagen was an unfortunate negotiation strategy of the EU – and admittedly differences of views on some issues, which in the end reduced the EU’s weight. However, due to Europe’s technological know-how as well as for its economic clout, a solution to the climate problem without an active European contribution remains hard to imagine.

Ladies and gentlemen,

A “Strategic Partnership” is both an offer and an obligation for both sides. What is on the table? The menu is well-known – it is the Joint Action Plan for the India- EU Strategic Partnership of 2005.

What are the contents? While the Joint Action Plan is a comprehensive document, I would like to highlight just a few proposals which I deem important and attractive as fields of stronger cooperation. Peacekeeping,

a consequence the relationship between India and the EU was intensified and extended beyond trade and economic cooperation t h r o u g h t h e C o o p e r a t i o n Agreement of 1994.

The first India-EU summit 2000 in Lisbon set the markstone for this evolution. It was the 5th summit in 2004 at The Hague which endorsed the upgrade of the Indian-EU-relationship to a “Strategic Partnership”.

Until today eleven summits have been celebrated, the latest in December 2010 in Brussels. The main pillar of the Strategic Partnership still is trade and economic cooperation. We as Europeans would appreciate India to engage in other areas with the EU, beyond the economic realm. While there is quite a number of EU-India dialogue fora on various

EU’s Asia Working Group are drafts prepared by the External Action Service in New Delhi and Brussels in consultation with the Member States. From the Indian perspective, therefore Baroness Ashton and the EU Ambassador in New Delhi – I am glad that she is among the audience – would be privileged interlocutors. When you talk to them and convince them of your views, you have made a significant step towards getting an agreement with 27 countries altogether!

Second possible explanation: India’s strategic orientation is focussed on the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council in the first place. The EU as a political entity has only a kind of privileged observer status in the UN and rather limited global influence, as experienced in Copenhagen in December 2009

The EU – like others – has probably under-estimated, and maybe even misjudged what was going on in the texture of North African

and other Arab societies


Peacebuildung and Post-Conflict-Assistance:

Since setting up the Joint Action Plan in 2005 the EU offers a considerable package of options for collaboration in this field: Consultations before UN debates on peace-keeping and peace-building; establishing a dialogue at official level to exchange perspectives on conceptual and operational aspects; training for military and civilian components of peacekeeping miss ions; exchange of trainees; joint support of UN peacekeeping and –building efforts; post-conflict and confidence building projects in other parts of the world. Vis-à vis the global engagement in UN peacekeeping and crisis prevention missions India could profit considerably from such a cooperation.

Fight against Terrorism and Organized Crime:

There is room for intensified relations in this field as well. I am nevertheless glad to note that since the first visit of Baroness Ashton and the EU-Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles De Kerchove in New Delhi 22 June 2010, some movement is visible. The EU-India Summit in December 2010 adopted a Joint Declaration on International Te r ro r i sm.Coopera t ion on counterterrorism will also be on the agenda of the forthcoming visit of Baroness Ashton to New Delhi. The recent events in this region highlight the potential of an intensified cooperation between India and the EU.

Migration and Consular Issues:

We conclude, inter alia, from the negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement that this subject is of high interest for India. Nevertheless, we feel that India’s response to an exchange of views in the competent EU-

India Joint Working Group has been rather limited. Perhaps this is due to a misunderstanding. Although the legislative and executive competence concerning visa issues lies on national level, changes of the overall policy vis-àvis Third States such as India are subject to agreement between all 23.

Schengen Member S ta tes . Therefore, an intensive dialogue with the competent bodies of the EU-Institutions would have a considerable advantage for India A further area with a set of options for cooperation are Human Rights: Consultations on human rights and democracy issues, looking for opportunities for co-sponsoring resolutions on thematic issues for example in the UN Human Rights Council or the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee.

Bilateral EU-India consultations are taking place regularly. During recent years the discussions in this forum have proved to be open and fruitful for both sides.

In the Indian media, EU interest in human rights issues in India is frequently criticized as neo-colonial interference in domestic affairs. For us such a defensive attitude towards Human Rights does not match India’s pride of its democracy, rule of law and free press. In the recent past, India has shown to be more sensitive to the human rights-situation in other countries – also neighbours – as well. So this dialogue opens up new possible avenues of cooperation. Now I would like to turn to the negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and India. I am not going to dwell on details. Both sides are aiming at an ambitious agreement taking into account the expected dynamic development of trade in goods and services and investments within the next 20 years. There

are still quite a number of open issues. I assume it is no secret that for example Germany is among the EU Member States which urge for broad liberalisation, especially in the automobile sector, machine building industry and chemical industry. India is strongly interested in access to the Common Market for her nationals to provide services. At present the negotiations are entering into a crucial phase, where both the EU and Indian sides need to show readiness for compromise in order to come to an agreement by the end of 2011. This FTA, once in force, will be a booster for the relations between India and the EU.

Let me finally refer to the reason of my presence in New Delhi. Today we celebrated the first German-Indian Governmental C o n s u l t a t i o n s u n d e r t h e chairmanship of Prime Minister Singh and Federal Chancellor Merkel, accompanied by seven Ministers and Vice-Ministers on both sides. This event is a milestone in our bilateral Strategic Partnership, both in form and substance. It coincides with the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between our two countries.

In spite of this key event for the relations between our two countries, let me stress an important argument: We, the German Government, do not understand our Strategic Partnership with India to compete with the EU’s Strategic Partnership with your country. Instead, the two strategic partnerships complement each other. While we cherish the state of our bilateral relations, we are looking forward to the ever deepening of the Strategic Partnership of India and the EU.

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Chancellor Merkel and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Inaugurate Year

of Germany in India

The opening ceremony featured a concert by 'Young Euro Classic Orchestra –

Germany and India', conducted by Vijay Upadhyay. This was followed by a performance by Indian classical artists, who presented Dhrupad renditions to echo the spirit of Indo-German cultural exchange. SPIC MACAY – Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music & Culture Amongst Youth – also supported the concert by presenting the Dhrupad artists.

With a thematic focus on 'StadtRäume – CitySpaces', the fifteen month programme series across India will dwell on the implications of rapid urbanisation and challenges posed by the enormous changes the cities of

both countries face today. Issues like mobility, energy, sustainable city development, architecture, cultural spaces and education will be prominently featured touching genres such as performing and visual arts, science, education, technology and business, etc. The project will showcase the entire spectrum of the Indo-German collaboration in the spheres of politics, business, culture, education, science and research.

The centerpiece of the project is the 'Mobile Space', a set of modern multi-purpose pavilions, designed especially for the Year of Germany in India by renowned German artist Markus Heinsdorff. The pavilions combine state of the art steel and textile technologies from both countries. The 'Mobile

To commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Germany and India, German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel and Speaker of India's Lok Sabha Meira Kumar jointly inaugurated the fifteen-month celebrations titled 'Germany and

India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities' on Tuesday, 31st May in New Delhi.

Space' will be setup for ten days each in Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and New Delhi and will host interactive presentations by various German corporations and organisations on topics and solutions related to 'StadtRäume – CitySpaces'.

The partners for the project are the German Federal Foreign Office, the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and the Goethe-Institut. The project is managed by the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi. Amongst the corporate partners of the project are companies such as Bajaj Allianz, BASF, Bosch, Deustche Bank and Siemens.

Bilateral Ties


Angela Merkel’s Visit to India Signals a Fruitful Relationship

By Ronen SenSource : The Telegraph, June 10, 2011

A notable aspect of the r e cen t v i s i t o f t he German chance l lor ,

Angela Merkel, to India was its cursory coverage by the media and the consequent lack of public awareness of its importance. The focus was indeed more on what happened on her way to Delhi — the delay in Iranian overflight clearance — than on what transpired during her visit. We have apparently yet to realize that Germany is Europe’s biggest and most resi l ient economy, the world’s second largest trading nation, known for its engineering excellence, technological innovation and

exemplary work ethic. As the last ambassador to present my credentials in Bonn and India’s first ambassador in Berlin as the capital of reunified Germany, I, as well as my colleagues, were aware that the move of the capital to its original location was not just of geographic but of geo-strategic significance in terms of power equations in Europe. The Germans realized this and, in various ways, sought to downplay this dimension. Thus, while most of my European colleagues privately commiserated with me on my transfer from Berlin to London, virtually everyone I knew in India regarded this as a promotion

of sorts. It is ironic that while bemoaning the fact that most international organizations do not reflect current global realities, in some respects our world view still remains frozen in the past.

I was impressed by Angela Merkel since my first meeting with her when she was in the opposition as the chairperson of the Christian Democratic Union. Her long handwritten notes reflected not only her meticulous preparation for the meeting but her deep personal interest in India and the high priority she attached to Indo-German ties. From all accounts, the close personal rapport between Merkel and the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, has played a positive role in the rapid improvement of Indo-German relations.

The holding of the first inter-governmental consultations between India and Germany during Merkel’s visit was a major landmark in our relationship. Germany has been very selective in the setting up of such IGCs. Since the mid-1970s, IGCs were set up with France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Israel.

After India, China may be the next. While our earlier exchanges were episodic and hastily prepared, the new forum is structured and broad-based, and amenable to integrated functioning and monitoring. Joint cabinet ministerial meetings covering external affairs, finance, home, defence, commerce, human resource development, transport, science and technology, and environment, would arrive at decisions and jointly convey these

Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh with German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel at a press conference in New Delhi on 31st May 2011

Bilateral Ties


to senior officials of both countries on the same day.

Merkel was accompanied by a high-level delegation of corporate CEOs. There is concern in Germany, as elsewhere, about the virtual suspension of the economic reform process in recent years, including long-pending financial sector reforms and the opening of the retail sector. Germany, on its part, has to do more to relax its export control regulations.

After the Fukushima disaster, Merkel had to abandon her efforts to seek a 10- to 15-year extension of the legal deadline of closing all operating nuclear power plants in Germany by 2022. The decision to adhere to this deadline was announced just the day before her visit. This will pose a challenge to meeting the German commitment for a 40 per cent reduction of CO2 emissions by 2020. It may also involve adjustments in the German collaboration with the global nuclear industry. Merkel, however, understood India’s need to determine its own energy portfolio mix, not only for our energy security but in the context of our national plan for environment protection. Merkel was the first Western leader to express understanding of reduction of global emissions on a per-capita basis.

In terms of foreign pol icy projection, Germans tend to be matter-of- fact and understated in their approach. For instance, the G8 summit held under German chairmanship in June 1999 had issued a positive and forthright statement reflecting our interests regarding Pakistan’s violation of the line of control at Kargil. We had attributed this principally to the United States of America’s good offices, without realizing that the final formulation was virtually identical to the initial German draft. Similarly, Germany, and

Merkel personally, had played an important role while chairing the meeting of the Nuclear Supply Group, which approved the US proposal to exempt India from the application of NSG guidelines in 2008. Even within our establishment, few are aware of such instances owing to the general German reticence to seek any brownie points.

We also had a tendency to underestimate German resolve, especially in relation to the US. The Chinese knew better. For instance, in 2000 the former chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, telephoned the Chinese president to request support for a German to head the International Monetary Fund; China’s support was promptly conveyed and announced the same day. A similar call to our then prime minister resulted in an ambiguous response, based on our informal consultations with the Americans. The German candidate, Horst Kohler, was elected the IMF managing director that year.

Germany has traditionally been a very strong proponent of nuclear non-proliferation and the non-proliferation treaty. It had opposed the US on the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe and objected to the first use of nuclear weapons in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation doctrine. Thus Germany has still to resolve some internal constraints to enable it to support India’s inclusion as a member of the NSG, Missile Technology Control Regime, and other groups.

On Afghanistan/Pakistan, our views may not be identical with all those of the Germans, but overlap on the most important objectives. Though 49 German soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan, Merkel made it clear that Germany will remain for the long haul in that country. Unlike in Istanbul,

India’s presence will undoubtedly be welcomed and given due recognition at the next conference on Afghanistan in Germany this year.

The German abstention on the United Nations security council resolution on Libya had created both confusion and controversy. The decision was taken by Merkel and the foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, on the basis of inputs of a top Foreign Office official. In actual practice, however, German positions are not radically divergent from most provisions of the UNSC resolution. Germany, which remains a strong advocate of the right to protect victims of human rights violations, differs fundamentally with the Indian or African Union advocacy of non-interference.

The German approach to UNSC reforms is not identical to that of India. I feel that the Germans have a more realistic understanding than our multilateral experts of the prospects of the G4 as a group getting permanent membership of the UNSC in the next few years. I know that both the Bush and Obama administrations have been candid about their opposition to a third European seat in the UNSC. China has reservations on Japan and has not yet shown great enthusiasm about India. I am not aware of other P5 countries actively working in coordination with G4 countries in New York. We should not continue to squander too much political capital on this campaign. As I have said before, we should stop this unedifying spectacle of banging the door to get in. We should have the grace to wait till we are invited to join by consensus. India and Germany have much they could do together to their mutual benefit and for promoting peace and prosperity.

(The views expressed above are the personal views of the author)

Bilateral Ties


Brain Drain has Now Become a Brain Gain

By Saurabh Srivastava

India has strong claims to early and successful advances in scientific and technological

thought and practice. Today’s increasingly digital world depends on an Indian invention, that of zero or ‘shoonya’. While leadership in innovative thought somehow fell away for a couple of millennium, the cultural ethos, developed so early in India’s history, has allowed for our current advancements in science and technology.

In modern times, increasing recognition of the high quality of India’s scientific and technological talent has resulted in the country becoming the largest sourcing ground for the developed world, principally the USA. In the old days we called it ‘brain drain’ because it was the poor socio-economic and politico-administrative environment of the 70s and 80s that forced the

exodus of our best talent to greener pastures. However, the reform process initiated by our current Prime Minister when he was the finance minister in 1991, has converted a liability into an asset. Some of our best brains, who spent years and decades around the world, honing their knowledge and skills are beginning to return to India and contribute to its growth and development. The ‘brain drain’ has now become a ‘brain gain’.

It is understood by those in the know that harnessing the power of technology is critical to this nation’s development in a sustainable manner. Technology enables qualitative healthcare at an affordable, advanced climate-friendly energy development and deployment for our still largely rural population and improved education across lower sections of society. As technology lies at the

epicenter of agriculture, industry and services, it is time to push it to the mainstream of economic planning.

A country’s economic activity has an umbilical connection to the quality of its intellectual capital. We have the third largest higher education system in the world—it’s the tremendous qualitative variances that are a problem.

Western and Asian countries have grown across all four foundations of civilisation—social, economic, cultural and political, due to the development and proper utilisation of excellence in innovation, technological upgradation and research & development. India’s emergence as a global R&D hub is a process that began more than a decade ago. But we have oceans to cross.

Indian companies have faced criticism for a long time for their low level of investment in R&D, both in India and other parts of the world. This fact prevented them from becoming serious players in global markets. Despite major progress, India’s image, till recently, remained that of a third-world country which copies western products, aided by lax patent policies. As we start to change, we could take a leaf out of Japan’s book—they bettered the technological instruction! We need to do the same.

Fortunately, our reputation of being a leading centre for IT & BPO has led to our emergence as a global R&D location where multinationals such as Microsoft, Motorola, CA, Cisco, IBM, Indian Engineering Schools Set For International Recognition

India Feature


Google, etc. are beginning to do cutting-edge research. This has not remained constrained to just be IT players. Global giants in telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and biotech, to name a few, are setting up ambitious R&D projects, in part to serve the Indian market, but also with an eye to delivering a new generation of products for the global market, faster and more economically.

This trend has also led to Indian entrepreneurs creating contract research firms that service global multinationals and created a new industry ‘Research Process Outsourcing’ or RPO which feeds the need for MNCs not only to ‘localise’ products for India but also to increase their competitiveness abroad and expand the range of offerings to their existing markets. This has created another opportunity for India to find its position on the global RD map.

All of this is having the impact of moving the country up the value chain in R&D and getting more integrated with what is happening globally. And this could not have happened at a better time. Some of the most innovative companies in the world are already beginning to emerge from Asia and most forecasts suggest that the fastest growth will come from the BRIC nations, led by India and even more so by China—unless they are surprised by strong democratic movements that recently occurred in North Africa.

Success of course creates its own problems. India Inc. is beg inning to face ser ious shortages of high quality skilled manpower. Numerous human resource (HR) agencies provide their perspectives recommending strategies to overcome shortages by developing work models, collaborating with governments, education and individuals for skill

development and imparting of training. Whichever combination of options we settle on, it must be interactive and have a good public-private partnership model.

I spoke of a brain drain in the beginning and alluded to a reverse process. To see highly skilled and qualified people return is most heartening as they can command jobs anywhere in the world. It truly brings home the opportunity that lies before us. We have to be careful not to throw it away by forgetting to encourage industry required skilled development.

Both industry and academia have recognised this and begun to come together to ensure that a set of industry ready professionals enter the R&D ecosystem every year. The government too is seized of the matter and various initiatives are under way to create many more world class, R&D focused universities.

The progression of India from being enclosed in a cost arbitrage framework to breaking out into the high value add space is cause for celebration. And this celebration is not ours alone.

Global multinationals which seeded a lot of high end R&D in India are beginning to reap the benefits of cutting edge innovation and products that serve them locally and globally. And the old entrepreneurial DNA of India has resurfaced with a vengeance with myriads of new start-ups that are seeking to stretch the boundaries in India and overseas creating new products and solutions and new markets.

India has always had the ‘potential’ to excel. What kept us back was the lack of capital, the right direction, collaboration between government, industry and academia and a policy framework conducive to long-term investment and growth. The great news is that this is now beginning to come together. And the even better news is that we now have a new breed of entrepreneurs, full of self belief and global aspirations, who are willing to step out and leverage the greatest opportunity that anyone could ever have had.

July 04, 2011, Financial Express:The writer is Chairman, CA Technologies (India)

India Feature


India, Germany May Witness More Deals Over Next Two Years – Analysis

By Sounak Mitra & Sarah Syed Merger Market, May 24, 2011

Over the next two years, the deal flow between India and Germany, both inbound and outbound, is likely to increase manifold with the availability of distressed targets in Germany and the Indian government

opening up such sectors as retail to foreigners, according to German and Indian bankers.

The most attractive sectors to Indian companies include the automotive component, industrial, engineering, information technology enabled services (ITeS), pharmaceutical, chemical, and alternative energy like wind power sectors, said an Indian banker and a German banker. Strategic Indian players will look to gain market share, know-how and increase their access to customers, said Ulrich Bauemer, partner and head of India Desk at Osborne Clarke.

On the other hand the retail, media and consumer goods sectors could see inbound deals to India, said a second Indian banker. The Indian government is considering opening to foreign direct investments in multibrand retail as soon as recommendations of the Commerce and Industry Ministry are issued in the next couple of months, according to the first Indian banker. Retail is another sector that could potentially see outward M&A, Bauemer said, citing the recent purchase of Escada by Megha Mittal as an example.

If German companies are a little behind in the Indian market the best way to step up is to buy as organic growth is much too slow. It also gives German companies access to India's massive growth market, its neighboring countries and for the manpower, especially in engineering, Bauemer noted.

Cash-rich Indian conglomerates like Tata Group (market cap US$ 101bn), Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries (US$ 65.65bn), Suzlon Energy (US$ 1.89bn), Mahindra & Mahindra (US$ 9.26m) and Hinduja Group (US$ 40bn) would look for the most advanced technologies in Germany, even at a premium, said the first Indian banker. On the other hand, acquisitive automotive player Ruia Group would always look for distressed assets at a cheaper price, the banker added. Indian companies are always a bargain hunters, and they would always insist on tight negotiations, the two Indian bankers pointed out.

These Indian companies have already made a few big-ticket buys and could spend any amount on acquisitions, said bankers tracking the companies.

Other Indian automotive companies like Motherson Sumi Systems (market cap US$ 1.86bn), Rico Auto Industries, Apollo Tyres, industrial companies like Syntex Industries, pharmaceutical companies like Maneesh Pharma, chemical companies like Kiri Dyes, information technology companies such as TCS (market cap US$ 49.92bn), Wipro (US$ 23.75bn), Infosys (US$ 36.90bn), Cognizant (US$ 22.53bn), HCL Technologies (US$ 7.6bn) could also be on the lookout for acquisitions in Germany, according to the bankers.

The Indians are not as cash rich as the Chinese, which is why they are looking

Bilateral Ties

Germany is the prime

focus for Ruia Group and

the company will keep on seeking more

distressed assets over the next two years


for distressed assets to add to their customer base and technology, one of the German bankers said. In the current market, there are German assets that could be bought for between 1X and 3X EBITDA, where there are no logical EU buyers. India-listed companies with high EBITDA could buy German entities with a lower EBITDA valuation to profit from a difference in the price and potentially increase their own share prices, the banker added.

Germany is the prime focus for Ruia Group and the company will keep on seeking more distressed assets over the next two years, said Chairman Pawan Kumar Ruia. Advanced technology and availability of distressed assets are the two main reasons for choosing Germany. Ruia could spend up to EUR 3bn for big acquisitions, he added.

Acquisitive Ruia Group has taken over a few auto-ancillary companies in Germany, the latest being auto sealant company Meteor and four plants of Acument, renamed as Ruia Global Fasteners, which supplies fasteners to all global car majors in Germany. Other acquired companies include Schlegel Automotive Europe in 2008, Draftex Automotive in 2009 and Gumasol in 2010.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with niche product portfolio in Germany are potential targets for Indian companies, said the first Indian banker. But the language is sometimes seen as a barrier and could lead to a longer negotiation process, the banker added.

The legal issues can all be tackled. The Indian law has the same standards and quality i.e. Share Purchase Agreements, you would expect in the US, UK or Germany, Bauemer said.

German companies are not really looking to buy so much in India, and prefer entering the market through JVs, according to the German banker, who specializes in the automotive industry.

According to a KPMG study, Indian companies such as Kalyani Group (Bharat Forge), TCS, Wipro, Infosys, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Hindustan Aeronautics and Hexaware are already present in Germany.

German companies having investments in India include BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Bayer, Siemens, BASF, Robert Bosch, SAP and Thyssen Krupp.

India's Hindusthan National Glass & Industries acquired Agenda Glass for an unspecified amount, and Tata Group entity Voltas announced this month the setting up of a joint venture with Germany's KION Group.

According to Rajnish Tiwari, a research associate at the Institute for Technology and Innovation Management at Hamburg University of Technology, between March 2001 and March 2010, India's outward foreign direct investment (FDI) stock increased to US$ 77.6bn from US$ 2.6bn. The stock of Indian FDI in Germany was estimated at about EUR 4.125bn as of mid-August 2010.

Some 12 FDI projects could be monitored between January 2009 and mid-August 2010 with an estimated volume of about US$ 125m. Six projects were greenfield while others involved buys.

According to Tiwari's data, there were 134 India-based multinational companies and their 190 subsidiaries active in Germany as of August 2010. Of the 134 companies, ICT and consulting comprised 49 per cent, automotive and parts made up 14 per cent, pharmaceuticals were 11 per cent, manufacturing consisted of 10 per cent, 4 per cent textiles, 4 per cent travel and logistics, 2 per cent banking and finance, and 6 per cent others.

Bilateral Ties

According to a KPMG

study, Indian companies such

as Kalyani Group (Bharat Forge), TCS,

Wipro, Infosys, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories

and Hindustan Aeronautics and Hexaware are

already present in Germany


Indo-German Strategic Partnership, and its Importance Today

By Smita Purushottam, Senior Fellow Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis, New Delhi

India and Germany are celebrating 60 years of a fruitful bilateral relationship since the establishment of diplomatic

relations. The Indo-German strategic partnership, launched in 2001, has grown in substance over the years, based on common values of democracy and freedom, and shared interests in the security, economic and technological spheres. Germany is a key partner for India on a range of regional and global issues including the reform of the UN

billion during 2010, after a dip of 2 per cent in 2009 on account of the global recession, and is expected to reach Euro 20 billion by 2012. Due to the strong relationship between the automotive sectors of the two countries, Indian exports to Germany feature nontraditional exports l ike automobile components. Two-way investment is also growing, albeit from a low base, with

acquiring German companies due to their favorable location at the heart of Europe, with all the attendant benefits of access to markets, best ma nagement practices and technology. The growing relationship is expressed in the proliferation of business delegations which visit Germany, particularly on the occasion of the Hannover Trade Fair and the Koln Carbon Expo, and the increase in the number of official working groups and delegations. Apart from all this, Germany is a major participant in India’s development programs.

The strategic dimension of the relationship is characterized by frequent high level consultations including meetings at the Summit level. Germany played a helpful role during its Chairmanship of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2008, when the NSG was considering exempting India from the restrictions on civil nuclear commerce. This was despite domestic pressures to phase out nuclear energy, to which Germany succumbed this year. The German Government’s far sighted decision to be on good terms with the world’s largest democracy was deeply appreciated in India.

India and Germany cooperate in the joint quest for permanent membership of the UN Security Council (along with Brazil and Japan in the G-4). Germany is also keen to explore the possibilities of arms exports to India. EADS is part of the Eurofighter consortium, which is still in the race for the MMRCA tender for 126 jet fighters. At Aero India 2011, Eurofighter offered a high-tech co-production and development partnership if India were to choose the aircraft. Given India’s current emphasis on domestic defence production and the indigenous

Bilateral Ties

Mrs. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President, Mr. M. Hamid Ansari, Vice President, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister and Dr. Karan Singh, President, ICCR on the occasion of the

conferment of the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding for 2009 on Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on May 31, 2011

Security Council. As the two leading economies in their respective regions, economic cooperation is growing in various sectors, encouraged by the prospects offered by their expanding economies.

Trade increased 17 per cent to Euro 15.44

Germany interested in India’s booming market and German automotive firms completing several strategic investments in the Indian market. Indian companies have established beachheads in Germany and are


development of technology, this would appear to be the right strategy to woo defence orders in the Indian market.

The growing bilateral relationship is multifaceted and extends to people to people contacts. There is deep appreciation in Germany of ancient Indian culture and philosophy and its Universities and Institutions of higher learning devote sizable resources to understanding ancient Indian metaphysics, tradition and culture. The Tagore Centre at the Indian Embassy in Berlin thrives with activity and its daily events are a big draw. Germany is probably one of the few West European countries in which Bollywood movies run on prime time TV and latest hits get featured in major Multiplexes, including the futuristic architectural wonder and tourist draw – the Sony Centre. This indicates a puzzling but real connection between the peoples of the two countries. Cooperation in the field of educational exchanges is growing.

On the Indian side, there is admiration for German technology and quality. Germany is not surprisingly India’s top trade partner in the EU, and second largest technology partner in the world. There are numerous collaborations between Indian and German institutes and departments dealing with scientific research and training, and active German collaboration in India’s space programme and support to top Indian technological institutes. The two countries have launched an Indo-German science and technology centre in New Delhi in 2008.

The Indo- German relationship extends to many other spheres. India and Germany conduct an active dialogue on climate change. India and Germany have recently concluded a memorandum of understanding on vocational education, an area where Germany is very strong. This initiative will go a long way in addressing the demand for skilled personnel in India’s manufacturing sector.

Globally, India and Germany are rising powers. Germany’s foreign

policy priorities have traditionally been EU integration and the Trans-Atlantic Alliance. Today, Germany is displaying increasing self-confidence in pursuing an autonomous foreign policy, the latest example being its decision to abstain on the UN Security Council Resolution on Libya. Germany along with France had also opposed the invasion of Iraq and had expressed unease on US plans for stationing of missile defenses on the European continent, a decision which had upset Russia. It has developed good relations with both Russia and China. Germany is also active in European councils such as the Deauville initiative with France and Russia, even as its weight in EU decision making structures following the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty has (marginally) increased. Germany had desired that the EU play a more active political role on the international stage, preferably under its (and like-minded countries’) direction, though the current Eurozone crisis may have postponed the realisation of these aspirations. At the same time it continues to give priority to its close relationship with the United States, which continues to provide a security umbrella to West Europe.

However, as the world becomes smaller and power equations shift, new options for strategic partnerships are bound to arise. China is emerging as a geopolitical player on the European continent with its aggressive and coordinated drive to increase its presence in the economic and political spheres. China’s trade volumes with Germany eclipse India’s trade with Germany by several multiples; it reached around Euro 91 billion in 2009, and reportedly 130 billion in 2010, against India’s 13 bn in 2009 and 15 bn in 2010. Germany’s crucial role as an arbiter of the Euro’s fate makes it a critically important dialogue partner for

China which has invested a large proportion of its burgeoning foreign exchange reserves in the Euro. Irritants over IPR infringements have not impeded German investments in China which now exceed German investments in Europe, according to an apex German industry and commerce association. The feasibility of a direct rail route between the two countries has been tested, while a Chinese freight forwarding firm acquired the German Parchim airport in 2008. Germany is in fact perceived to be getting closer to the BRICs, and within the BRICs, primarily to China. Martin Wolf, noted Financial Times columnist, has used the term “Chermany” to describe the two export driven, manufacturing powerhouses which have both accumulated huge trade surpluses with their trading partners.

Due to the good understanding between the Indian and German l eadersh ip and the sound foundations on which the Indo-German relationship rests, the prospects for i ts continued enhancement are good. The Indo- German partnership is not a zero sum game and is based on shared values and interests. However India needs to be aware of the changes in Germany’s external engagement profile and focus on enhancing its own engagement with Germany by exploring every avenue to add greater depth to bilateral relations. Taking measures to upgrade the technological capacity of its manufacturing sector and quality of its scientific establishment, further improving the investment environment, and intensifying cooperation in the economic, defence production, educational, vocational education and S & T sectors - are means to these ends. India needs to take proactive measures under an overall national strategy to enhance and upgrade its relations with Germany.

(The views expressed above are the personal views of the author)

Bilateral Ties


Sweet Pill for Kerala-Medical Tourism By Sanu George, Indo-Asian News Service

Medical tourism promises to be the next big money spinner in Kerala, with a

steady stream of overseas patients flocking to the state.

T h e f e w n a t i o n a l l y a n d internationally accredited hospitals in the state are doing brisk business, with foreign nationals making a beeline for procedures like knee replacement, weight reduction surgery, liver transplant, cardiac care, ophthalmic care and dentistry.

Most of the foreign patients are from Canada, the Gulf countries, the Maldives and many are also second generation Malayalis settled in the US and Britain.

While there are no official state-wide figures, E.M. Najeeb, founder of KIMS Hospital here, says the institute treated around 40,000 overseas patients last year.

" I n t e r n a t i o n a l i n s u r a n c e companies look for international accreditation if they have to pay their clients, and hospitals interested to get favourable treatment from giant insurance c o m p a n i e s h a v e t o m e e t internat ional s tandards in providing quality healthcare," said Najeeb.

In terms of expenditure, a knee replacement in Kerala costs Rs.2.5 million ($5,600), less than half of what it would cost in the US or Europe.

Similarly, a liver transplant here can be done at a cost of Rs.1.5 million ($33,700), while in the West, a patient has to shell out anywhere above Rs.7 million ($157,000).

Speaking to IANS, Tourism Minister A.P. Anil Kumar said Kerala has the potential to cash in on the twin benefits of cost and quality.

"One main reason why we are getting a huge number of foreign nationals, mostly from the Middle East, is because our own people act as ambassadors of our hospitals in the Middle East. I have just become the tourism minister and we will promote medical tourism in a big way abroad," he said.

India Feature

World class hospitals, cost-effective treatment and ample opportunities to relax in the scenic landscape of 'God's own country

An Ayurvedic Hospital in Kerala


India Feature

eye care is all set to become a key revenue earner for the flourishing medical tourism industry.

"The totally blade-free LASIK ( L a s e r A s s i s t e d I n - S i t u Keratomileusis) surgery costs Rs.60,000 here and Rs.85,000 in Bangalore. The same procedure will cost $2,200 (Rs.97,000) in the US and 1,500 pounds (Rs.100,000) in the UK," said Jacob.

Jancy Joseph, who has been running a private dental clinic in the state capital for 15 years, gets a steady stream of foreign patients, mostly from the West and Middle East.

In terms of expenditure, a knee replacement in Kerala costs Rs.2.5

million ($5,600), less than half of what it would cost in the US or Europe

S. Sudhindran, a surgeon with Kochi-based Amrita Hospital, has treated many liver transplant patients from abroad.

The hospital treated around 10,000 foreign patients last year.

"Yes, the response from abroad has been good. The s tate government also has to do its bit by framing rules that will help foreign nationals have a smooth stay and not get caught in numerous paper works," he said.

According to Ashley Jacob, medical director of Mulamoottil Eye Hospital in central Kerala,

"Most of my non-resident patients are referred here by their friends and relatives in India. They have told me that dentistry rates in the West are 10 times higher, compared to here," said Joseph.

John Muthoot, who owns two plush resorts in the state, said he has decided to venture into the medical tourism industry to cash in on the trend.

"Our first venture into the medical field is through a 50-bed hospital coming up in Kottayam. Medical tourism is one segment which we are keen to tap because we already in the tourism industry, and thus have a huge clientele," said Muthoot.

There has been an 18 percent growth in the arrival of foreign tourists in Kerala, with the numbers touching 659,265 last year.

(Sanu George can be contacted at [email protected])

India-Germany Pictorial Journey

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh with the German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel, during a meeting, in Berlin, Germany on December 11, 2010

The Indian Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Mr. Praful Patel and the Transport, Building and Urban Development Minister of Germany, Dr. Peter Ramsauer at the inauguration of the third meeting of the Indo German Joint Working Group on Automotive Sector, in New Delhi on April 18, 2011. The Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Mr. A. Sai Prathap and other dignitaries are also seen.

The Transport, Building and Urban Development Minister of Germany, Dr. Peter Ramsauer meeting the Indian Minister for Urban Development, Mr. Kamal Nath, in New Delhi on April 18, 2011

The Transport, Building and Urban Development Minister of Germany, Dr. Peter Ramsauer calls on the Indian

Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs and Civil Aviation, Mr. Vayalar Ravi, in New Delhi on April 18, 2011

Bilateral Ties

The Indian Minister for Human Resource Development and Communications and Information Technology, Mr. Kapil Sibal and the German Federal Minister of Education & Research, Dr. Annette Schavan witnessing the signing of an MoU between University of Hyderabad and Westfalesche Wilhelms University of Germany, in New Delhi on May 31, 2011

The Indian Minister for Labour and Employment, Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge and the Federal Republic of Germany’s Minister of Education and Research, Dr. (Mrs.) Annette Schavan at the signing ceremony of the MoU between India and Germany, in New Delhi on May 31, 2011

The Defence Secretary, Mr. Pradeep Kumar welcomes the Secretary of State, MOD, Germany, Mr. Rudiger Wolf, on the wake of the 5th India-Germany High Defence Committee (HDC), in New Delhi on April 06, 2011

The Defence Minister of Germany, Mr. Thomas De Maizere called on the Defence Minister,

Mr. A. K. Antony, in New Delhi on May 31, 2011

Bilateral Ties


Bilateral Visits Between India and Germany

Visits from India to Germany2011 February National Security Advisor Mr. Shivshankar Menon to Munich Security

Conference

2010 December Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Berlin

2010 June Minister of Aviation, Mr. Praful Patel to IATA-General Assembly in Berlin

2009 October Minister of State of Food Processing, Mr. Subodh Kant Sahay, Anuga Food Fair

2009 September Member of Parliament, Mr. Rahul Gandhi (Lok Sbaha) to Bucerius Summer School, Hamburg

2009 June Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Prithviraj Chavan to Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau

2009 June Minister of Human Resource Development, Mr. Kapil Sibal, to Nobel Laureate Meetings at Lindau

2009 June Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Anand Sharma, Global India Business Meeting

2008 February National Security Advisor, Mr. M.K. Narayanan to Munich Security Conference

2007 June Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, G8 meeting

2007 May Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee

2007 March Minister of Finance, Mr. Palaniappan Chidambaram

2006 November Minister of Power, Mr. Sushil Kumar Shinde

2006 October Minister of Human Resource Development, Mr. Arjun Singh and Minister for Tourism and Culture, Mrs. Ambika Soni

2006 September Minister of Defence, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee

2006 June Speaker of Lok Sabha, Mr. Somnath Chatterjee

2006 April Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh accompanied by Minister of Trade, Mr. Kamal Nath

2006 April Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Kapil Sibal

2004 October Minister of State for Non-Resident Affairs, Mr. Jagdish Tytler

2003 October Minister of Environment and Forests, Mr. T.R. Baalu

2003 June Minister of Communication, IT and Privatisation, Mr. Arun Shourie

2003 May Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Foreign Minister Mr. Yashwant Sinha, Minister of Commerce and Trade, Mr. Arun Jaitley

2003 May Minister of Renewable Energies, Mr. M. Kannappan

2003 May Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Jag Mohan

Bilateral Ties


Visits from Germany to India

2011 May

Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Angela Merkel together with Federal Minister of Defence Dr. Thomas de Maizière; Federal Minister of the Interior Dr. Hans-Peter Friedrich; Federal Minister of Education and Research Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan; Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Dr. Norbert Röttgen; Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs Dr. Peter Ramsauer

2011 May Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Guido Westerwelle

2011 April Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development, Dr. Peter Ramsauer

2011 February Federal Minister of Defence, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg 2010 November Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Ilse Aigner 2010 October Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Guido Westerwelle 2010 September Minister-President of Niedersachsen, David McAllister 2010 September Federal Minister for Economics and Technology, Rainer Brüderle 2010 March Minister-President of Hessen, Roland Koch 2010 February President of the Federal Republic of Germany Horst Köhler 2009 November Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, Günther Oettinger 2009 March Minister-President of Rheinland-Pfalz, Kurt Beck

2009 February Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee

2008 December Federal Minister of the Interior, Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble

2008 November Deputy Federal Chancellor and Federal Foreign Minister, Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier

2008 November Federal Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Sigmar Gabriel

2008 October Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul

2008 October Minister-President of Niedersachsen, Christian Wulff 2008 September Federal Minister of Education & Research, Dr. Annette Schavan 2007 November Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein, Peter Harry Carstensen

2007 October Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel together with Federal Minister of Education & Research, Dr. Annette Schavan

2007 August President of the German Bundestag (Parliament), Dr. Norbert Lammert 2007 June Federal Minister of Defence, Dr. Franz Josef Jung 2007 February Federal Minister of Education & Research, Dr. Annette Schavan 2006 August Federal Minister of Economics & Technology, Michael Glos 2005 April Federal Minister of Economics & Labour, Wolfgang Clement 2004 October Chancellor Gerhard Schröder 2004 October Federal Finance Minister Hans Eichel 2004 July Federal Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer 2004 February Federal President Dr. Johannes Rau

2003 March Federal Minister of Finance Hans Eichel and Federal Bank President Ernst Weltecke

2003 February Federal Minister of Environment, Jürgen Trittin

2003 January Chancellor Gerhard Schröder together with Federal Minister of Interior Otto Schily and Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Werner Müller

Bilateral Ties


Strengthening Indo-German Partnership- CII’s Initiatives in

Bringing the Two Nations Closer

India and Germany complete 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2011. Commemorating

this historic association the two nations would celebrate the German year in India and the Indian year in Germany in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Germany over the years has been India’s biggest trade partner in the Europe and also one of the most preferred country for Indian investors. In the last decade the two countries have worked towards systematically increasing

and deepening their ties and socio-economic relations.

The Industry of both nations are active stakeholders in each others economy. German organisations have invested heavily in sectors like steel, auto and education, the Indian industry’s presence too has increased in Germany in the recent past. There are almost 240 Indian owned organizations operating in Germany.

The Confederation of Indian Industry has played a vital role

in increasing India Inc’s presence in Germany. CII has been actively working towards enriching the deeply embedded ties between India and Germany. CII drives these initiatives predominantly through Trade Fairs, Exchange Programs and Delegations.

CII makes continuous efforts to increase interaction between the industries of the two nations through delegations. CII organized a CEO’s round table during Dr Angela Merkel’s visit to India in May 2011. The German

Ing. Hans Peter Keitel, President, Federation of German Industries (BDI), Dr. Angela Merkel German Federal Chancellor, Mr Hari S Bhartia Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Co-Chairman and Managing Director Jubiliant Life Sciences and Mr Arndt G Kirchhoff, Chairman BDI/BDA SME Committee at the Annual

Day of the Federation of German Industries, in Berlin.

Bilateral Ties


Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel led a 23 member CEO delegation to India in May 2011. CII on the occasion in collaboration with the Indo German Chamber of Commerce and other chanmbers organized a CEO’s round table “Germany and India 2011-12, Infinite Opportunities”. Strong emphasis was laid on the ties between India and Germany. Technology transfers, infrastructure, education & skill development, climate control measures and technology emerged as the key areas of collaboration between the two nations in the coming years. The Round table also focused on increasing investments by both sides in various sectors of the respective countries.

CII on the occasion of this visit published a report entitled “India-Germany- Economic Co-operation: Setting a New Trajectory. The report discussed India and Germany bilateral trade and investment relations and also identified areas for economic partnership. It also aimed at doubling Indian-Germany trade to US $ 30 billion by 2014.

In Skill Development sector, CII and InWEnt together started Indo-

Ing. Hans Peter Keitel, President, Federation of German Industries (BDI), Mr. B. Muthuraman, President Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Vice Chairman, Tata Steel Limited, Mr. A.M. Naik Chairman and Managing Director, Larsen and Toubro and Mr. Deepak Parekh Chairman, HDFC Bank at the Indo German CEO's Round Table ‘Infinite Opportunities’,

during the visit of German Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel to India in May 2011

German Managers Training Programe for Senior and Middle level SMEs managers. After the success and overwhelming feedback from the first batch and the plethora of growth opportunities it bout for the participants from industry, CII and InWEnt has decided to organize such training programmes at least twice a year.

In 2010, Germany participated in a big way in one of CII’s flagship event- The Auto Expo. The Expo covering a total area of 120.000sq ft m and spread across 21 halls presented a common platform of interest for both the nations that of the automotive industry and specifically meeting the growing challenges within the Industry. The German official participation covered more than 500 sqm. space. With over 20 exhibitors in the pavilion and a substantial number outside, the response to the expo was phenomenal and the exposure to the German organizations unprecedented.

In September 2010 CII mounted a CEO’s delegation to Germany led Mr. Hari Bhartia, the then

President of CII. The delegation participated in the Annual Meeting of the Federation of German Industries (BDI). A first ever for a foreign delegation to attend this meeting, the conference was attended by over 2000 delegates and addressed by Dr Angela Merkel, German Federal Chancellor. She congratulated CII and Federation of German Industries (BDI) for the contribution made in enhancing business ties between the two nations. The delegation also participated in a panel discussion and interacted with over 300 German business leaders, followed by a CEO’s round table dedicated issues concerning Indian and German businesses.

The increase in trade and investment volume between the two nations remains a key focus for CII in its agenda for engaging in Germany. Furthering this agenda CII will actively involve emerging as well as established business ventures in Germany floated by members of the Indian industry, especially during the year long celebrations of German year in India and Indian year in Germany.

Source: Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)

Bilateral Ties


World's Only Sanskrit Daily Turns 42

Ev e n a s E n g l i s h a n d modern Indian language newspapers continue to

flourish in the country, Sudharma, which claims to be the only Sanskrit newspaper in the world, is struggling hard to survive as it enters its 42nd year next week.

"That's because no state or central body comes forward to assist us in any way and the response from various organisations in the private sector is indifferent," K.V. Sampath Kumar, editor of the Mysore-based daily that has over 2,000 subscribers, told IANS.

But then why publish a paper in a "dead language" at all?

The editor's wife, Jayalakshmi, who is well versed in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, English and of course Sanskrit, reacts sharply: "Who says Sanskrit is dead? Every morning, people recite shlokas, conduct pujas...all ceremonies including marriages, childbirth to death, are in Sanskrit. India is united by Sanskrit, which is the mother language sustaining so many languages in the country. It's growing and now even IT professionals are saying it is useful."

Sampath Kumar said his father Pandit Varadaraja Iyengar started the paper July 15, 1970. "When he was dying in 1990, he made me promise I would continue the mission, come what may. So this daily is now a dream mission continuing with the same passion and commitment, and I will continue till my death."

Priced at Re.1, the paper mostly contains articles on Vedas, yoga,

led to an increase in the demand for Sanskrit learning centres.

In India, Sanskrit was considered the 'language of the gods'.

Despite the contribution Sanskrit has made to Indian philosophical and literary traditions, vested in teres ts have spread the impression that the language is dead, inaccessible and of negligible relevance to daily life, Kumar said.

Init ial ly printed manually, Sudharma now has a modern computerised printing facility. An e-paper too is available online, making its reach international.

By Brij Khandelwal, Indo-Asian News Service

Life's mission: K.V. Sampath Kumar, Editor of Sudharma, at his printing press in Mysore

India Feature

religion and also politics and culture, among others.

The husband-wife pair are the paper's contributors and publishers rolled into one.

"Credit for starting Sanskrit radio bulletins on Akashvani goes to my father, who successfully persuaded the then information and broadcasting minister I.K. Gujral," Sampath Kumar said.

According to him, Mysore is the Sanskrit capital of India, with a fairly good strength of scholars. A large number of yoga enthusiasts also come to learn Sanskrit here. Interest in ayurveda and alternative medicines has also


"We have lots of subscribers among the minorities also. Most academies and language centres are our subscribers. Each morning, the two-page tabloid-sized sheet is folded and posted to more than 2,000 subscribers. Every year, a special number is brought out during Dussehra celebrations to mobilise funds to support the mission," Kumar said.

Lamenting the lack of official patronage, he said: "Being in Sanskrit, Sudharma never had sufficient revenue from advertisements. Despite the ample lip service and words of encouragement, no concrete help comes our way. But the constraints have never deterred us and we will continue to keep alive this glorious tradition."

The modest office in Agrahara has been visited by ministers, governors, Shankaracharyas, and other dignitaries. "Words of encouragement and felicitation has come profusely from prime ministers and presidents over the years," Kumar said.

H e s h o w e d t h i s I A N S correspondent his vast collection

The paper's editor K.V. Sampath Kumar and his wife Jayalakshmi

of messages from politicians, scholars, intel lectuals and business leaders, including Late President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, social reformer Jagjivan Ram, L.K. Advani, Arjun Singh and others. The common strain was that Sanskrit was a unique unifying force and a treasure to be preserved.

As part of its 42nd birthday celebrat ions, Sudharma is organising an all-India Sanskrit Book Exhibition. A photo exhibi t ion is also planned, apart from a felicitation of Sanskrit scholars.

But will Sudharma be able to preserve the pristine glory of Sanskrit, or be overwhelmed by modernity?

M a n y u n i v e r s i t y students this IANS correspondent talked to in Mysore had

not heard of the paper. Just a few paces from the newspaper

India Feature

office, a chemist blinked in incomprehension when told about Sudharma.

The signs may be ominous, but perhaps the paper, like the language it is published in, may be able to survive the test of time.

(Brij Khandelwal can be contacted at [email protected])


Tradition and Departure - Cultural Relations between India and Germany

Dr. Clemens Spiess

As a result of stronger ties between Germany and India, cultural relations

between the two countries have found new impetus drawn from a longer tradition of German-Indo cultural exchange. Foreign cultural policy experiences multiple incentives and support on both sides, which makes it useful to establish sustainable structures of cultural dialogue. However, a number of factors could be

architecture – an exciting exchange, influenced by contemporary trends, is developing. However, its possibilities are restricted due to the lack of institutionalization of the Indian art industry. Furthermore, the display of art in India relies more and more on cooperation with local institutions and facilities, whereas the mediation of German (contemporary) art and culture is still and more or less exclusively carried out by

literarily "spread its word" in India seem greater, not least because of translation issues. Nonetheless, the innovative projects of a few intermediary organisations ought to be acknowledged.

Indian film has meanwhile arrived in Germany, which holds true not only for the so-called Bollywood productions, but partly also for art films and documentaries. German films are also increasingly present at Indian film festivals, although the entry of German films in India still proves to be difficult if not impossible due to the specifics of the Indian film market.

Classical Indian dance has been enjoying great popularity in Germany for a long time, in contrast to the still rare visibility of modern dance and Indian drama. Established theatre structures with repertoires and ensembles are rudimentary in India, even though small theatre and dance companies have been established in many of the big cities. Above all, in the area of modern theatre and dance – as opposed to classical dance – there have been no supporting structures while different priorities are set. With the exception of dance theatre, the mediation of German theatrical culture still finds resistance in India because of different viewing customs and linguistic diversity – despite a long tradition of Indo-German theatrical confluence.

Indian music of all sorts, from classical music to Hindi-pop, has been widely present in Germany and finds an audience, even without much effort of intermediary organisations. Music

The German Saxophone Legend Rainer Pusch (www.rainer-pusch.com) playing with Indian Jazzists

listed to shed light on the still asymmetrical nature that marks cultural relations between India and Germany. Among them are: different conceptions of foreign cultural policy, different stages of the respective art industry and cultural infrastructure, a historically determined imbalance of financial and infrastructural resources and the sheer ignorance in the way both countries have perceived the other.

At the moment, in the field of fine arts – including photography and

the various German intermediary organisations.

In the world of books, an increasing interest in Indian literature can be noted, especially since the Frankfurt book fair in 2006 which featured India as its "guest of honour". Despite the challenges faced by Indian literature in regional languages, which still lags behind and needs continued support to get the attention that Indian literature in English already gets, the obstacles faced by German contemporary literature to

Cultural Ties


from Germany, on the other hand, faces difficulties gaining a foothold in India. There is no adequate transfer of classical music from Germany because of the lack of a regular orchestral structure; modern German entertainment music is largely unknown. It is only with regard to jazz music, that musicians from Germany have not only been very well received in India, but many intercultural cooperation projects have been initiated.

German-Indian science and research cooperation is intense and very well positioned. However, a discipline-wise and person-related imbalance prevails: compared to the technical, natural and life sciences, the humanities and the social sciences have a great deal of leeway to make up in bilateral cooperation; and, not enough German scholars and researchers set off for India. The latter also holds for student exchanges.

The need for German as a foreign language has risen enormously in the last few years. German intermediary organisations have met their capacity limits. The teaching of Indian regional languages in Germany is provided by the Indology chairs at 16 German universities; in this respect Germany is very well positioned in comparison with other European countries. There is however, a lack of courses on modern India beyond language classes or Indological research. Therefore, there is an urgent need to extend as well as intensify the learning opportunities and courses on India at the school and university level. The same holds true for German studies in India and courses for studies on Germany and Europe in India.

School and youth exchanges in German-Indian relations are still underdeveloped. The success of the few existing school exchanges shows how great an interest there is in school partnerships.

Expanding these would add a new dimension to German-Indian cultural relations. More effort needs to be placed on supporting measures aimed at promoting a German-Indian youth encounter at a regional and local level.

German political foundations operating in India, along with their education programs in Germany, provide an excellent instrument for fostering German-Indian relations. The foundations operating in India have done remarkable work – some of them

enlargement of thematic offers and a vertical deepening which imparts background knowledge and first-hand information for the understanding of supposedly strange phenomena are badly needed.

For decades, the work of bilateral cultural agencies, particularly the Deutsch-Indische Gesellschaft, have been contributing to the advancement of Indo-German cultural dialogue and mutual understanding. In addition, dialogue initiatives between

for decades. To date, very few German-Indian town-partnerships exist, but where partnerships have come into existence, a tight network of personal contacts has been developed, and the partnership impacts positively on other areas of German-Indian cooperation.

As far as the media coverage of the cultural counterpart is concerned, there is still a backlog in the German-Indian re lat ionship. A hor izontal

Germany and India – mostly at the initiative of German cultural institutions, foundations and intermediary organisations – have multiplied in recent years.

This text is a summary of the book written in German language by Dr. Clemens Spiess "Tradition und Aufbruch - Die deutsch-indischen Kulturbeziehungen" that is published by IFA and can be ordered or downloaded as a PDF from their website: http://www.ifa.de/pub/synergiestudien/indien/

Students of the Jawaharlal-Nehru High School in Neustrelitz, German Democratic Republic, visiting the Indian Embassy in 1987 to get an introduction

on Indian art by Kusum Budhwar, wife of the Indian Ambassador (from the German Federal Archive www.bundesarchiv.de)

Cultural Ties


Indian Ports Poised for a Huge GrowthBy Manoj Gupta*

India has been an emerging and vibrant economy with a huge market and the potential

to grow as the fastest economy of the world. This economic upsurge is one of the important drivers for the growth of Indian Ports in the years to come. Coupled with this, the technological changes in shipping sector have triggered the growth in Indian Ports and provided stimulus for cargo handling.

Modernization of Ports

The Indian major ports in the recent past have made significant strides in modernization and capacity augmentation. Port capacity development was possible mainly due to the various policy initiatives taken by the Government for increasing the pace of privatization and formulation of guidelines for fixation of upfront tariffs. The maritime states also

have come up with several policy initiatives and identified potential locations for development of new outlets. Thus, the major ports and non-major ports have assumed complementary roles, besides creating healthy competition which in turn enabled the sector to provide cost effective and quality service to the customers.

Growth of Traffic

As per the Maritime Agenda, 2020 issued by the Ministry of Shipping, the traffic at major ports is likely to grow at a CAGR of 8.03 per cent from 561.09 Million Tonnes in 2009-10 to 1214.82 Million Tonnes by 2019-20, whereas the traffic at non – major ports is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.96 per cent from the present level of 288.80 Million Tonnes to 1269.59 Million Tonnes by 2019-20. Thus, the anticipated traffic at Indian Ports would grow

to 2484.41 Million Tonnes by 2019-20 from the present level of 849.89 Million Tonnes at CAGR of 11.32 per cent.

Major Ports in India is expected to handle a traffic of 1214.82 million tonnes and to handle such magnitude of traffic, Ports have identified schemes which would create a capacity to the tune of 1459.53 million tonnes. It means that capacity at Major Ports by the year 2020 will surpass traffic by 20 per cent. Major ports would continue to identify schemes/projects during the next decade to achieve the ideal norm of 30 per cent over traffic. Incidentally, the capacity resulting from the ongoing schemes in 2020 has not been considered in the projections. Even these projects, if advanced, will result in more capacity, thereby fulfilling the ideal objective. In addition to the above, the Central Government

Hazira Port in Gujarat

India Feature


plans to commission two more Major Ports, one each on the Andhra Coast & West Coast, which will also entail addition capacity in the Major Port segment.

Future Plans

Having set the tone for the growth path, the Indian major ports and non- major ports have formulated ambitious plans for development of new outlets, augmentation of existing service centres, induction of state-of-the-art cargo handling equipment and improvement in logistics in order to meet the challenges emanating from the anticipated growth in the trade. As per these plans, the capacity at 13 major ports is likely to increase to 1459.53 million tonnes by 2020 from the present level of 616.73 Million Tonnes. The capacity at non-major ports is poised to increase by 2020 to 1660.02 Million Tonnes from the present level of 346.31 Million Tonnes. Thus, the Indian Ports are aiming at a surplus capacity of above 25 per cent over the projected demand. This will enable the ports to provide berthing facilities on arrival of the ships, thus achieving zero waiting time for the vessels. The proposed investment during the next ten years is expected to be Rs. 2.77 million crore - 1.09 million crore for Major Ports and Rs.1.68 million crore for non-major ports.

Structural Changes

In addition to capacity augmentation, all the major ports are aiming at bringing structural changes in the administration of the ports to improve organizational effectiveness. To this end, all the ports are planning towards implementing “landlord port” concept duly limiting their role to maintenance of channels and basic infrastructure leaving the development operation management of terminal and cargo handling facilities to the private sector. The ports are aiming at lean staff by extending information technology to the entire gamut of operations. Thus

the Indian Ports are marching forward with a confident note and gearing themselves to meet the anticipated demand from the trade in the years to come.

PPP Mode

Public Private Partnerships will be the preferred mode for the development of port terminals and other commercially viable activities in the Major Ports. The standardization of RFQ, RFP and MCA and the formulation of guidelines for fixation of upfront tariffs have served to make the PPP process transparent and to give confidence to the investors.

private monopolies and that private facilities are available to all users on equal and competitive terms. Accordingly, it was felt that a policy may be formulated for prevention of private monopoly in the Port Sector for ensuring healthy competition amongst the private operators and smooth award of projects for capacity augmentation at the Major Ports. Under Section 111 of the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963 and in consultation with Chairpersons of all Major Ports as well as stake holders, the following policy has been laid down with effect from 2.8.2010 for preventing private sector monopoly in Major Ports:

Chennai Port

Recently a Private Group has commissioned 12 million tonnes per annum expansion at its Vadinar terminal in Gujarat at a total cost of Rs.1065 crore. With this Vadinar Port’s capacity has gone up to 58 million tonnes per annum. Similar efforts ostensibly contribute to capacity expansion of Ports.

A Level Playing Field

In terms of the Regulatory Framework of the Private Sector Participation (PSP) guidelines (1996), the ports were directed to ensure that private investment does not result in creation of

“If there is only one private terminal/berth operator in a port for a specific cargo, the operator of that berth or his associates shall not be allowed to bid for the next terminal/berth for handling the same cargo in the same port”.

While, the Maritime Agenda, 2010 - 20 envisages ambitious programmes to reach 3.12 billion tonnes port capacity within the next decade, a strong monitoring and feedback mechanism is very important to achieve the target. (PIB Features)

*Joint Director (M&C), Press Information Bureau, New Delhi

India Feature


Home Stay at Coorg with Freshly Brewed Coffee, Butterflies

By Arvind Padmanabhan

If you find Ooty, Kodaikanal or Munnar a bit too touristy and crowded a destination

in southern India, Coorg is that perfect holiday spot in Karnataka that is sure to please toddlers, youth and the old alike.

slopes of the Western Ghats, what with some pristine trekking trails, picnic spots, waterfalls, wildlife, woods, forests, valleys and some mouth-watering cuisine.

Situated at a height of 1,525 metres, Madikeri or Mercara

Namdroling Monastery built in 1963, which the locals call the Golden Temple.

Once you enter the monastery, you feel transported into some other world in the Orient, packed as it is with some 5,000 monks in

The large prayer hall at Namdroling-Monastry, with statues of golden Buddha and Tara in the backdrop

Namdroling-Monastry, about a hour from Medikeri, home to some 5,000 monks and nuns

Not that this hill station needs to be chosen for a sojourn by eliminating other similar destinations in the vicinity. Just a three-hour drive from Mysore, 150 km away, Coorg district on its own has much to offer, beyond its coffee, cardamom, pepper and beetelnut estates.

There is much to see, admire and soak in at this hill station, which the locals call Kodagu, on the

is the capital of Coorg, with a nice bazaar, quaint houses with red-roofs and liberal use of teakwood reapers for doors and furniture, so common among homes and clubhouses in Indian hill stations.

It may come as a surprise to some that Coorg has one of the largest settlements of Buddhists in India, just about 30 km away from Madikeri, with their own

bright yellow and red robes, with some soothing Buddhist chants, smell of incense and breathtaking sights of pagodas.

After seeing those large golden statues of the Buddha and Tara, the intricate murals and Tangkha paintings, don't forget to taste some authentic Tibetan food here, especially the delectable momos and the subtle thugkpa, their noodle soup.

India Feature


One is told it is the largest teaching centre of Nyingmapa - a major lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the world - and the present Dalai Lama gave its shorter name, as opposed to Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling that this mesmerising place was called originally.

Before dwelling further, where to stay is a question that is bound to crop up. While there are plenty of hotels and resorts, including the Orange County, that can even set you back by as much as Rs.25,000 per day, it is best to opt for a home stay.

during monsoons can be equally mesmerising and enchanting.

There are also plenty of places one can go to. There is Abbey Falls, not far, where one has to make his or her way through some dense woods, dotted with coffee bushes, trees and creepers, to suddenly find a cascading gush of water.

Then about 80 km away is the Iruppu Falls, right next to the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, also called Nagarhole, which is famous for its elephants, with a lot of other game and some 50 species of birds.

Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Not far is Bhagamandala, the confluence of three rivers: Cauvery, Kanika, and Sujyothi.

Another must-see is Tadiyendamol, which is the tallest peak in Kodagu and gives a breathtaking view of the entire Coorg, apart from the distant Arabian Sea. There is also the Naalkunaadu Palace built by Kodagu king Dodda Raja Veerendra in 1792.

After all this exploring, a bungalow at the plantation is perhaps the best place to retire. Toddlers can chase butterflies, and a hammock and freshly brewed coffee are sure to be at hand!

Abbey falls, among the many in Coorg, with cascading water Dubare Forest, an elephant camp where one can see pachyderms being bathed and fed, after which one can take a ride on them

There are some 35 of them in and around Medikeri in a range of Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,000 per day where one gets not just to retire but also taste authentic Coorgi food and take some refreshing strolls on their plantations that grow coffee and other cash crops.

As far as the season goes, October to March -- like most places in India -- are the best months. The weather is pleasant with that welcome nip in the air. But Coorg

Children, especially, are certain to enjoy a visit to Dubare Forest, around an hour and a half from Medikeri. A ferry there takes you across to an elephant camp where one can see the pachyderms being bathed and fed, after which they are ready for a joy ride.

Talacauvery, around an hour away, is the source of the river Cauvery, with a temple to pay homage to this main source of water for some parts of

How fa r : A round 150 km from Mysore and 260 km from Bangalore

How to reach: By bus or car from Mysore. Closest airport is in Bangalore; the airport in Coimbatore in neighbouring Tamil Nadu is another alternative.

Cost: Around 35-40 home stays in Coorg ranging Rs.1,000 to Rs.5,000 per day.

(Arvind Padmanabhan can be reached at [email protected])

India Feature


Ministry of Culture, Mr. Jawhar Sircar Releases Book Titled “Tagore and Germany”

To commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore Federation of Indo-German Societies in India (FIGS) has brought out a book titled “Tagore and Germany”. The book was released here today by the Union Culture Secretary Mr. Jawhar Sircar.

The book contains earlier articles of the distinguished former head of the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, Prof. Emeritus Dr. Dietmar Rothermund; Dr. Martin Kaempchen the eminent German scholar on Tagore, who resides in Shantiniketan; and, Ambassador Satinder K. Lambah. The book also contains photographs of Gurudev during his visit to Germany.

The Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Mr. Jawhar Sircar releasing a book entitled 'Rabindranath Tagore and Germany', in New Delhi on February 4, 2011

Bilateral Ties


India and Germany Sign MoU on Biomedical Research

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Helmholtz Association (HGF), Germany have signed a signed new Memorandum of Understanding on translational efforts in biomedical research for a period of next five years. The MoU was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Hon’ble Prime

Minister of India and H. E. German Chancellor, Dr Angela Merkel.

The MoU will provide for active translational efforts in biomedical research particularly in infectious diseases with long term capacity building for researchers and scientists. Both the countries will be benefited in multiple areas pertaining to the biomedical research and public health in terms of joint collaborative research efforts and projects. The other areas identified under the MOU are Oncology and Biomedical research related to health.

The collaboration between Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Helmholtz Association (HGF), Germany has been running in pursuance of a Memorandum of Understanding which was earlier signed in April, 2006 at Hannover, Germany during the visit by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to Germany. The earlier collaboration led to the development of four ongoing research projects between Indian and German researchers in the areas of Genetic Susceptibility, Vaccines Anti-infectives and Viral Diseases (HIV/HCV).

Source, PIB, SBS

Establishment of Indo- German S&T Centre

The Indo-German Science and Technology Centre has been established in India with its present office in Gurgaon (Haryana). The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) is supported by Indian and German governments with equivalent contribution of 2 million euros per year from German side

and rupees 13 crores per year from Indian side for an initial period of 5 years. The Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) is registered as a “Society” under Societies Registration Act (Act XXI of 1860, Punjab Amendment Act 1957) as extended to NCR Delhi. The IGSTC is governed by a Governing Body (GB) having equal members from India and Germany. The IGSTC is steered by an Indian Director to be appointed by GB on nomination by Indian government. The IGSTC shall support mega joint research projects with co-funding from both sides in rupee as well as euros components and participation of industry from both sides.

The objectives of the IGSTC are to play a pro-active role to:

(i) facilitate participation of industry in joint R&D projects; (ii) provide/ assist in mobilizing resources to carry out industrial R&D projects, (iii) facilitate and promote Indo-German bilateral collaborations in basic and applied science, research and

technology through substantive interaction among government, academia and industry; (iv) encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) to foster elements of innovation, application and cultivate

a culture of cooperation between science and industry; (v) develop cooperation through the identification of scientists and scientific institutions of the two countries

etc.

Source: PIB

Bilateral Ties


Interesting Facts About India

When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization)

aThe name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.

aThe Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name 'Hindustan' combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.

aChess was invented in India.

aAlgebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India.

aThe 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in India in 100 B.C.

aThe World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.

aIndia is the largest democracy in the world, the 7th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.

aThe game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.

aThe world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.

aIndia has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.

aThe largest employer in India is the Indian Railways, employing over a million people.

aThe world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.

aAyurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The Father of Medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.

aIndia was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India's wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake.

aThe Art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word 'NAVGATIH'. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'.

aBhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. According to his calculation, the time taken by the Earth to orbit the Sun was 365.258756484 days.

Source: National Portal of India (www.indio.gov.in)

India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history

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