Changes in the world do influence our policies: Jaishankar

There are significant and far-reaching changes on the global strategic landscape and a lot of volatility on the global economic landscape, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday, and said these together make a very powerful case for India and the European Union and India and Germany to work much more closely with each other. Jaishankar, who addressed a press conference with visiting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, said India has important strategic relationships with a number of countries, and it's in the nature of global politics or global strategy that each one of these relationships would be maintained. He said that the shifting global order is compelling nations to rethink their strategies and partnerships.The changes we see in the world today do influence our policies and do influence the manner in which we approach other countries, Jaishankar said.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul lauded India as an innovative powerhouse and technology centre. He noted that as a rising economic powerhouse, the most populous country, and the world’s largest democracy, India has a special importance in a strategically important region of the world. Wadephul added that the economies of India and Germany have much to gain by further expanding their cooperation. He reiterated that when it comes to India defending itself against terrorism, Germany continues to stand firmly on its side. He also emphasised that Germany agrees with India and many other nations on the need to defend the international rules-based order.Wadephul said that India is Germany’s key economic trading partner, and more than 200 German companies are active in the country.

He called India a “rising economic powerhouse” with a “special importance” on the global stage, reaffirming Berlin’s full support for finalising the FTA between India and the European Union. Germany was the 8th largest trading partner for India in 2024-25. It was India’s 12th largest trading partner in 2023-24 and 11th largest trading partner in 2022-23. Germany is the 9th largest foreign direct investor in India with a cumulative FDI of $15.11 billion from April 2000 to March 2025.