Overview
- During Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to Ahmedabad, the countries signed a defence-ministry memorandum to expand cooperation, but no defence contracts were concluded.
- India plans to build six submarines in Mumbai with Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in a project valued at about €8 billion, with a formal agreement still pending.
- TKMS says it expects a contract by the end of March, and reporting indicates an option for three additional submarines may be included.
- Beyond defence, 27 memoranda were announced across areas such as rare-earth cooperation, youth hockey programs, and recruitment for Germany’s health sector.
- India remains the world’s largest arms importer, sourcing about 36% of purchases from Russia in 2019–2023 according to SIPRI, a share that has been declining as partnerships broaden.