Tag: Germany

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Tensions Rise as Germany Labels Xi ‘Dictator’

Annalena Baerbock, the Chancellor candidate of Germany' Green Party(Photo:twitter.com/ABaerbock)

China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing was “strongly dissatisfied” with Baerbock’s comments and “firmly opposes” them…reports Asian Lite News

China has lashed out at Germany after its foreign minister called Xi Jinping a “dictator” and summoned Berlin’s ambassador for a dressing down, in the latest flaring of tensions with a western democratic power over how the Chinese leader is described overseas, the CNN reported on Tuesday.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made the remarks in an interview with Fox News during a visit to the United States last week.

When asked about Russia’s war on Ukraine, she said: “If Putin were to win this war, what sign would that be for other dictators in the world, like Xi, like the Chinese president?”

The Chinese government on Sunday summoned Germany’s ambassador to China, Patricia Flor, to protest Baerbock’s comments, a German foreign ministry spokesperson told the CNN on Monday.

China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing was “strongly dissatisfied” with Baerbock’s comments and “firmly opposes” them.

“The remarks made by Germany are extremely absurd, seriously infringe on China’s political dignity, and are an open political provocation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular news briefing on Monday.

The question about Baerbock’s remarks and Mao’s response are both missing from the briefing’s official transcript posted later on the ministry’s website.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry often leaves out content it deems sensitive from the transcripts of its regular briefings.

It is not the first time China has shown sensitivity towards how foreign leaders refer to Xi – China’s most assertive leader in a generation who has heavily centralized power and is nearly a year into his norm-busting third five-year term.

In June, US President Joe Biden also referred to Xi as a “dictator,” sparking a fierce backlash from Beijing.

Biden has said his statements regarding China were “just not something I’m going to change very much.”

Biden made the remarks when asked about the statement during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House. He took another dig at the Chinese government. Biden said he believes that the ties between China and US are not in the same place as the US-India relations, adding that “is that there’s an overwhelming respect for each because we are both democracies.”

(India Narrative)

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German Chancellor Scholz speaks out against new N-plant

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.(photo:instagram)

Scholz’s coalition partner, the free democrats (FDP), recently demanded Germany should keep a nuclear option….reports Asian Lite News

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he is against a new nuclear power debate in the country, in an interview released late on Friday with German radio station Deutschlandfunk.

“The issue of nuclear power is a dead horse in Germany,” said Scholz, leader of Germany’s social democrats (SPD).

Scholz’s coalition partner, the free democrats (FDP), recently demanded Germany should keep a nuclear option.

For new nuclear power plants to be built, significant time and investment would be required, Scholz said, estimating at least 15 billion euros ($16.16 billion) would have to be spent per power plant over the next 15 years.

On the widely debated topic of an industrial electricity price cap in Germany, the chancellor expressed doubt how this could be funded, naming options including taxpayer money and debt.

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German Embassy Faces High Demand for Student Visas from India

Cap reached for H-2B visas for second half of FY 2023

A large number of national work visas were also granted to Bosnians, Kosovars, Russians, Albanians, and North Macedonians…reports Asian Lite News

 Indians grabbed the lion’s share of the 152,336 national work visas granted to foreign nationals by the German authorities in 2022, according to the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

Indians were granted a total of 17,379 work visas last year, with the majority of them — 8,613 — being granted by the German Consulate General in Bengaluru, marking a significant increase compared to 2021, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported.

The second-highest number of work visas for Indians was granted by the German Consulate General in Mumbai — 3,013, — followed by the Consulate General in Chennai (2,483), the German Embassy in New Delhi (2,434), and the German Consulate in Kolkata (836).

While visiting India earlier this year, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had said that his government wants to ease the path for information technology experts from India to obtain work visas in the European country.

A survey by Munich-based Ifo Institute released earlier this month found the country facing an acute labour crisis with more than 43 per cent of nearly 9,000 firms polled suffering from a lack of qualified workers in July — up from just over 42 per cent in April this year.

After India, Turkey with 12,542 and Serbia with a total of 11,792 German work visas were the biggest beneficiaries in 2022.

A large number of national work visas were also granted to Bosnians, Kosovars, Russians, Albanians, and North Macedonians.

Last year, Germany issued a total of 393,083 national visas. After work visas, the second and third highest number of visas issued were study and spouse reunification visas.

Germany issued 71,129 national visas for spouse reunification and 71,018 national study visas in 2022.

A total of 8,930 Indian nationals were granted spouse reunification visas, with the majority processed by the German Consulate General in Bengaluru.

As of April 2023, the German Embassy in India had some 25,000 student visa applications for the next two semesters, Philipp Ackerman, the country’s Ambassador to India, had said.

A March 2023 report by Wissenschaft weltoffen, a project of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), revealed that the European country was hosting a total of 33,753 Indian students — making up 9.7 per cent of the 349,438 total international cohort in 2021-22.

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German minister “fascinated” by India’s UPI payment model

On August 19, Wissing attended the G20 Digital Ministers Meeting in Bengaluru. On August 18, Wissing arrived in Bengaluru to participate in G20 Digital Ministers Meeting…reports Asian Lite News

German Embassy in India on Sunday hailed India’s digital infrastructure, calling it one of the country’s success stories. The high praise for India’s digital payment model came after Germany’s Federal Minister for Digital and Transport, Volker Wissing, used UPI to make a payment in India and was “very fascinated” by the experience.

In the pictures and video posted by Germany Embassy in India on X, Wissing can be seen using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make a payment to a vegetable seller.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, German Embassy in India stated, “One of India’s success story is digital infrastructure. UPI enables everybody to make transactions in seconds. Millions of Indians use it. Federal Minister for Digital and Transport @Wissing was able to experience the simplicity of UPI payments first hand and is very fascinated!”

On August 19, Wissing attended the G20 Digital Ministers Meeting in Bengaluru. On August 18, Wissing arrived in Bengaluru to participate in G20 Digital Ministers Meeting.

In a post on X, German Embassy in India stated, “G20 Digital Ministers meeting in Bangalore is about to start. Minister @Wissing&our great host Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw have an insightful discussion on deepening Indo-German cooperation in IT and especially AI through our Digital Dialogue.”

Notably, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India’s mobile-based fast payment system, which facilitates customers to make round-the-clock payments instantly, using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) created by the customer.

So far, Sri Lanka, France, UAE, and Singapore have partnered with India on emerging fintech and payment solutions. Earlier in July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India and France have agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment mechanism.

Addressing the Indian community in Paris during his recent France visit, PM Modi said, “Be it India’s UPI or other digital platforms, they have brought a huge social transformation in the country and I am happy that India and France are also working together in direction. India and France have agreed to use UPI in France. I will leave after the agreement. However, it is your job to move forward. Friends, in the coming days its beginning will be made from Eiffel Tower which means that Indian tourists will now be able to make payments in Rupees, through UPI, at Eiffel Tower.” (ANI)

ALSO READ-Israel, Germany in $3.5B arrow-3 missile deal

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Israel, Germany in $3.5B arrow-3 missile deal

The long-range Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system, designed to intercept exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles, was jointly developed by Israel and the US…reports Asian Lite News

Israel has announced that it will sell its most advanced missile defence system Arrow-3 to Germany, marking the country’s largest-ever military deal.

The Israeli and German defence ministries “will sign the landmark $3.5-billion defence agreement” Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement issued on Thursday by the Israeli Defence Ministry.

According to the ministry, senior officials from both sides will soon sign a Letter of Commitment, with a preliminary payment of $600 million, and the full contract will be signed by the end of 2023.

“This is a significant decision, which will contribute to the buildup of Israeli forces and economy,” Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement.

The long-range Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system, designed to intercept exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles, was jointly developed by Israel and the US.

“With its exceptional long-range interception capabilities, operating at high altitudes above the atmosphere, it stands as the top interceptor of its kind,” the Israeli ministry said, adding that “the system employs a hit-to-kill approach for intercepting incoming threats”.

The Arrow-3 missile system is part of the country’s multi-layer defence doctrine, which includes Iron Dome, a system aimed at intercepting short-range rockets, and David’s Sling, which can intercept medium-range missiles.

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US okays Arrow 3 missile defense system sale to Germany

The Arrow 3 system – an interceptor designed to shoot down ballistic missiles above the Earth’s atmosphere – is jointly produced by Israel and the US…reports Asian Lite News

Israel said the United States on Thursday approved the sale of the Arrow 3 hypersonic missile defense system to Germany, in the country’s biggest ever military deal worth $3.5 billion.

The Arrow 3 system – an interceptor designed to shoot down ballistic missiles above the Earth’s atmosphere – is jointly developed and produced by Israel and the United States.

Israel’s defense ministry said in a statement the US State Department had notified it of the US government’s approval for Germany to procure the Arrow 3 system.

The ministry said senior officials from the Israeli and German defense ministries would sign a letter of commitment to the deal with a preliminary payment of $600 million.

“With its exceptional long-range interception capabilities, operating at high altitudes above the atmosphere, (the Arrow 3) stands as the top interceptor of its kind,” it said.

“The system employs a hit-to-kill approach for intercepting incoming threats.”

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, quoted in the statement, called the agreement “the largest in Israel’s history.”

“This is a significant decision, which will contribute to Israel’s force buildup and economy,” he said.

“It is also particularly meaningful to every Jewish person, that Germany is acquiring Israeli defense capabilities.”

According to Israeli manufacturer IAI, the Arrow 3 system can intercept ballistic missiles fired from a distance of up to 2,400 kilometers.

The system was first deployed in an Israeli air force base in 2017 and has been used to protect Israel against attacks from Iran and Syria.

The final contract for the deal is expected to be signed by end of 2023 after it is approved by the parliaments of Germany and Israel, the Israeli defense ministry said.

In a ceremony scheduled for November, Israeli and German defense officials will sign a declaration of commitment of $600 million to allow for the project’s immediate commencement. The details of the contract were agreed upon by both defense ministries and have been submitted for final approval by the German government.

The Arrow 3, considered the most advanced system of its kind, is meant to intercept long-range ballistic missiles before they reenter the atmosphere. It has a so-called hit-to-kill capability that enables it to directly intercept the target outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

The weaponry, missile interceptor and radar detection system of the Arrow 3 were developed by the Israel Aerospace Industries, led by President and CEO Boaz Levy. Its command and control technology was developed by Israel’s Elbit Systems. The Tomer and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, both Israeli government companies, are the main subcontractors for producing the system’s main interceptors. Stark Aerospace, owned by the Israel Aerospace Industries, is the main contractor in the U.S.

While Patriot and IRIS-T cover the medium layer of air defence, Arrow-3 – produced by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing Co – offers protection for the higher layer.

The deal was valued at nearly $350 million. “I am confident that the cooperation between our countries will further enhance our readiness to respond to regional and global threats,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said at the time.

While Israel has expressed support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, it has turned down requests to provide weapons. Instead, it has delivered humanitarian aid to Ukraine and promised to deliver a sophisticated air defense warning system.

Israel has a delicate relationship with Russia. It maintains security coordination with Russia in neighboring Syria – where Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against Iranian military positions in recent years. Russia is also home to a large Jewish community.

Uzi Rubin, the former director of Israel’s missile defense program, said Israeli sales of missile defense systems to Ukraine are unlikely anytime soon. But he said the deal with Finland, and likely Germany, could usher in additional sales to Europe as the continent realizes it must defend itself against the “big bad bear” of Russia.

“Europe has lived for 30 years with a kind of illusion that it has no security problems anymore,” said Rubin, who is now a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. “Now that the big bad bear is out hunting, everybody is scared.”

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Germany steps up military ties with India

Germany is concerned with the increasing Chinese belligerence in the Indo-Pacific and has a strategic interest in free sea routes as more than 20 per cent of German trade is with countries in the region…reports Asian Lite News

German Air Force chief Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz has proposed a joint exercise with the Indian Air Force (IAF) – a move that is not surprising as Berlin is refocusing its future engagement in the Indo-Pacific and, like France, has put New Delhi at the centre of its maritme strategy.

Concerned about China’s geostrategic striving for supremacy, which is challenging the other neighbouring countries, the navies of both countries are also scheduled to hold a joint exercise later this year during the Indo-Pacific deployment of German warships.

As they step up bilateral defence ties and engage in more military exercises, both countries believe that a concrete cooperation will deepen the trust in a region that is shaping the future international order.

“India has the third largest air force in the world. During his visit to New Delhi, Gen Lt Ingo Gerhartz spoke with the Indian Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari about possible cooperation and promoted the idea of a joint exercise next year in India,” the German Air Force said after Wednesday’s meeting between the two air force chiefs.

Over the last three days, Gerhartz has held crucial talks with Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Naval the Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar besides CAS Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari to discuss new avenues of collaboration towards bolstering defence ties and ops engagements.

On Thursday, the German Air Force chief visited the IAF’s Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment in Gwalior where he was introduced to various operational and tactical training aspects. He also shared his views on various training aspects of Germany.

The last 12 months have seen defence ties becoming a key pillar of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have met several times spotlighting their mutual commitment to growth of the multifaceted relationship between the two largest democratic economies of the world.

Germany is concerned with the increasing Chinese belligerence in the Indo-Pacific and has a strategic interest in free sea routes as more than 20 per cent of German trade is with countries in the region.

As Berlin began to see Beijing as a partner in global challenges, a competitor and “increasingly as a systemic rival”, it amplified exchange with actors from the region and saw India as a trusted friend for it to have a good assessment of the challenges that lie ahead.

In June, Boris Pistorius became the first German Defence Minister to visit India since 2015 and called New Delhi a “strategically reliable partner” which should be treated at par with Australia and Japan when it comes to German arms exports.

It was in his presence that Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems – a German world market leader in non-nuclear submarines – signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited on the intended construction of conventional, Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarines.

The MoU laid the foundations for the German company’s future cooperation with India’s premier defence shipyard to compete in the Indian Navy’s tender for the supply of six submarines in a deal believed to be worth six billion Euros.

In a meeting with his German counterpart, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh suggested that India and Germany could build a more symbiotic relationship based on shared goals and complementarity of strength, namely skilled workforce and competitive costs from India and high technologies and investment from Germany.

He mentioned the opportunities that have opened up in the defence production sector, including the possibilities for German investments in the two Defence Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

“The Indian defence industry could participate in the supply chains of the German defence industry and add value to the ecosystem, besides contributing to supply chain resilience,” Singh told Pistorius who wrapped up his India visit after a trip to the headquarters of the Western Naval Command in Mumbai.

At the same time, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Germany continues to enhance its military strength like never before.

The German media quoted Gerhartz as saying on Friday that the country will soon acquire 60 Chinooks following which it will own NATO’s second-largest helicopter fleet, after the United States.

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India has highest number of students in Germany, says envoy

German Ambassador advised students to exercise caution when working with agencies, as some fraudulent agencies have been identified….reports Asian Lite News

German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann on Thursday said India has the highest number of students in Germany with a total of 42,000 plus students, 25 per cent more within one year.

“Great! 42,000+ Indian students in Germany, 25 per cent more within one year. India is now the No. 1 group of foreign students in Germany, much faster than expected! Germany is popular among Indian students – and Indian students are popular in Germany, I hear from professors very often,” the German Ambassador tweeted on Thursday.

Last month, Phillip Ackermann said German universities are keen on having Indian students due to their good reputation.

Ackermann, however, advised students to exercise caution when working with agencies, as some fraudulent agencies have been identified. He recommended that students from Punjab independently verify their documents and submit their applications directly, without relying on agencies.

“German universities are very keen on having Indian students. They have a very good reputation in Germany,” Ackermann had said.

The German Ambassador to India said a growing number of Indian students come to Germany. “We have now 35,000, I have another 32,000 applications on the table of the embassy. That’s quite a lot, actually. And unfortunately, we need a little time to process these applications. I know that some students might be a little frustrated that it doesn’t go as quickly as they had expected, but I can tell you that, in principle, Indian students are very welcome in Germany,” he had said.

“I would advise every student from Punjab to make an application in Germany, a verification of the documents on his or her own. We have seen agencies that are fraudulent and therefore I would recommend doing it individually and not through an agency,” he had said.

Ackermann had said that India is a very interesting market for Germany. “It’s a big market, it’s a growing market. India has a very solid growth for years now. We are very impressed with this growth. It’s one of the very few countries in the world that has sustainable growth. And therefore German business sees increasingly an opportunity also for further investment in India. Now, Germany is by far the biggest trading partner in Europe with India. But I think in the years to come, we’ll see much more investment in German business here,” the German Ambassador had said. (ANI)

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‘Germany happy to welcome increasing numbers of Indian tourists’

GNTO aims to attract Indian travellers interested in exploring the country’s natural beauty, picturesque villages, and innovative eco-tourism practices….reports Asian Lite News

Germany is happy to have increasing numbers of tourists from India and they are doing their best to cope with the visa applications, said Georg Enzweiler, Deputy Head of Mission, German Embassy, on Wednesday during a press conference to promote German tourism.

The German National Tourist Office (GNTO) and German Embassy in India successfully concluded a joint press conference, to showcase Germany as a preferred travel destination for Indian travellers at the German Embassy in New Delhi.

“We are very happy to have increasing numbers of tourists from India to Germany. This is one of our goals to attract people from India to visit Germany and we are doing our best to cope with the visa applications that go with it. Sometimes it’s not easy, but I think we have improved a lot over the last months. But we still want to improve that further. And I’m optimistic that we can do it. We have increased staff and I think we are slowly getting there,” he said.

According to the data provided by the German National Tourist Board, Germany saw a 209 per cent increase in overnight stays by Indians in 2022 compared to the previous year. Germany offers 51 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, coupled with a focus on nature and sustainability.

GNTO aims to attract Indian travellers interested in exploring the country’s natural beauty, picturesque villages, and innovative eco-tourism practices.

In 2022, Indians spent a total of 623,363 nights in Germany (2021: 201,194). The record level of 2019 with 961,656 has not yet been reached. “However we have already reached 65 percent of the level of 2019, leaving room for continuous growth as Indians return to travelling. There is huge demand among Indians for international travel,” said Romit Theophilus, Director India for GNTO.

“Germany is an attractive destination with exceptional offers. Our goal in the medium term is to reach the number of overnight stays we had before the COVID-19 pandemic. We have achieved a remarkable increase this year compared to 2021, which shows that our diverse campaigns and offers are attractive and appeal to Indians. We know that Germany appeals strongly to Indians that are interested in culture and history, city breaks and culinary experiences,” Theophilus added.

“Sustainability is a key focus of Germany’s tourism industry, and we’re confident that the country’s natural beauty, innovative eco-tourism practices, and rich cultural heritage will resonate with Indian travellers seeking responsible travel options. We believe the conference inspires the media to promote Germany as an ideal travel destination,” he added. (ANI)

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Over one tenth of German companies using AI

The institute’s industry expert Anna Wolf said that a majority of all companies in Germany are looking into AI…reports Asian Lite News

A survey published on Wednesday showed that over ten percent of German companies are using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to their advantage.

Up to 13.3 percent of the 9,000-odd companies involved in the survey by the Munich-based research institute ifo are using AI and another 9.2 percent are planning to use the technology which make decisions quicker through automated data analysis.

The institute’s industry expert Anna Wolf said that a majority of all companies in Germany are looking into AI.

Although AI is gaining popularity among German companies, applications vary in different industries, the survey indicated.

The manufacturing industry has emerged as the quickest to embrace the AI with around 30 percent of all the companies using or planning to use it. On the other hand, there is not even discussion of AI so far in as much as 60 percent of the construction companies in Germany.

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