New Delhi [India], October 5 (ANI): Calling India a trusted international partner whose foreign policy independence offers high reliability, Munich Security Conference (MSC) Foundation Council President Wolfgang Ischinger stated that India's strategic autonomy represents an "enormously valuable asset" for Europe, while emphasising that New Delhi plays a central role in Europe's Indo-Pacific strategy.
Speaking with ANI during his visit to India following high-level strategic discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and ahead of meetings with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the veteran diplomat praised the deepening partnership between India, Germany, and the broader European Union.
Highlighting the foundational strength of mutual reliability in international relations, the former German ambassador to the US praised India's non-aligned stance and diplomatic credibility.
"From a European point of view, we are interested in finding partners that offer a degree of reliability. And the degree of autonomy which India has enjoyed, as a country that is not part of any alliance, is for us an enormously valuable asset. We know that if you have the word of India, you can rely on that. And trust, as I learned early on in my career, trust is the currency of diplomacy. So India, I think for us, is a trusted partner, and that's the basis for future, even—even more far-reaching cooperation."
Commenting on the bilateral economic momentum following recent trade agreements between India and Europe, Ischinger noted that while trade figures have grown dramatically, the partnership holds vast potential across high-technology and scientific sectors.
"Well, once again, the trade agreement between India and the European Union is the biggest and most far-reaching one that Europe has ever concluded with anyone. So this is an almost historic step. The—the point to make is that we should not stop here, but we should try, going forward, we should try to build on this economic and financial relationship," Ischinger said.
"There are so many other areas: in science, in education, I mentioned artificial intelligence, including security. India has an enormous interest in, you know, maritime security in the Indo-Pacific. We have an enormous interest in maritime security in our part of the world. We have a lot to offer each other. So let's not stop our ambition of building on this relationship at the—with the issue of trade. We can go far beyond that going forward."
Detailing specific areas of convergence, particularly in emerging technology and artificial intelligence, Ischinger pointed to India's vast pool of software talent as a natural complement to European capabilities.
"There are so many converging interests. Let me give you just one example: the current challenge of how to deal with the future of artificial intelligence is one area where Indian interests—India with a huge number of, you know, software engineers and companies that are active in this area—converge with those of Europe. So, in other words, we can work together on a huge number of areas: in science, in biology, in technology, in raw materials, etc., etc. There is really no limit to the European-Indian relationship."
When asked about India's role in Europe's Indo-Pacific strategy, Ischinger reaffirmed New Delhi's pivotal position while backing India's long-standing bid for permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council.
"A central one. A central one," Ischinger asserted regarding India's role in the Indo-Pacific. "Clearly, India is on the way. India should have been, India should be, of course, a permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations. It's a pity, it's a shame that that reform step has not been taken. So, from our point of view, India is, as far as Asia, Asia-Pacific, Indo-Pacific is concerned, our primary partner in more than just one respect."
Concluding his remarks, the MSC President expressed hope that senior Indian ministers would participate in the upcoming Munich Security Conference in Germany to engage with global decision-makers on critical international security issues. (ANI)
Munich Security Conference President Wolfgang Ischinger calls India-EU FTA "almost historic step"
