ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION | INDIA-GERMANY DEFENCE RELATIONS
Tuesday, 18th August 2026, CLAWS, New Delhi
Rapporteur: Khushboo Sen Dhuruv
The Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) India office, hosted a Round Table discussion on “India–Germany Defence Relations” on 18th August 2026 at Chanakya Hall, New Delhi. The German delegation included Mr. Jürgen Hardt, Foreign Policy Spokesperson, CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group, German Parliament, and rapporteur on India; Mr. Franz Xaver Mauerer, Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group, German Parliament; and Mr. David Merkle, Interim Director, KAS India Office. The event commenced with welcome remarks from DG CLAWS, Lt Gen (Retd) Dushyant Singh, followed by perspectives on Indo-German Defence Relations from both sides. Mr. Jürgen Hardt presented the German perspective, while former Indian Ambassador to Germany, Gurjit Singh, IFS (Retd), presented the Indian perspective. The discussion concluded with key takeaways for strengthening India–Germany relations.
Key Takeaways
- Relations are at a historic high, with both sides viewing the partnership as strong, values-based, and strategically important.
- Germany already sees India as a top-priority market for co-development and production, not just sales.
- The submarine programme has moved forward, with export-control hurdles cleared and India set to select German submarines built domestically.
- Germany, facing capacity constraints at home, is already looking to Indian manufacturing for ammunition and defence platforms.
- The relationship is shifting from buyer–seller to co-developer, with India seeking technology transfer, joint R&D, and production in Indian defence corridors like UP and Tamil Nadu.
- A regular high-level dialogue is expected to be institutionalised through planned Berlin consultations and working groups.
- Flagship defence projects are expected to expand into future naval systems, aircraft, sensors, and electronic warfare collaboration.
- India is set to become a broader production base, backed by clearer export-licensing timelines and approval criteria.
- Joint R&D programmes are planned in AI, autonomy, cyber, and space.
- The business climate is expected to improve further for German investors, with faster approvals and stronger policy stability from India.
