India and Germany to Finalize Submarine Procurement Agreement

Reference News Network, April 25 According to a report by Bloomberg News on April 23, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that Germany and India will finalize an $8 billion submarine procurement agreement within the next three months.

Pistorius made the remarks after talks with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in the northern port city of Kiel on the 22nd, stating that the project includes the construction of six submarines in India.

After inspecting the facilities of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), Pistorius told reporters, “I am very, very confident that we will be able to sign the agreement soon, especially after today’s discussions with Mr. Singh and his delegation.”

TKMS will coordinate submarine construction with India’s state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.

Pistorius quoted Singh as saying that the agreement is “progressing well,” adding that relevant matters will be finalized and signed within the next three months.

In January, informed sources revealed to Bloomberg that the contract is worth at least $8 billion and will become the largest defense agreement in India’s history.

This will be Germany's first transfer of submarine production technology to a non-European country.

According to a report from the German "China Platform" on April 21, Germany and India will further expand their defense cooperation. This week, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in Berlin. The two then traveled to Kiel to participate in a shipyard tour organized by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). Following this, Singh will head to Munich to invite representatives from the industry to discuss potential cooperation.

According to this platform, both sides will sign a plan aimed at strengthening military-industrial cooperation between the two countries. This plan was jointly proposed by German Chancellor Merz and Indian Prime Minister Modi during Merz's visit to India in January. The plan covers major projects such as submarines, and India has also shown strong interest in Airbus aircraft.

India's goal is to expand its defense industry. The country is increasingly moving towards internationalization, during which the importance of Western partners like Germany is gradually rising. Additionally, through new cooperation, the country can reduce its dependence on Russian weapons.

Currently, India is focused on manufacturing key platforms such as fighter jets, tanks, and submarines domestically. (Translated by Xu Yanhong and Wang Ziqiang)