Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for closer security cooperation between Berlin and New Delhi<\/p>\n
India has stressed that its defense purchases are solely determined by its national interest, after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for New Delhi to reduce its \u201cdependence\u201d on Russian weapons. The German leader, who is in India on a two-day visit, reportedly said Berlin wants to cooperate more closely on security issues to reduce New Delhi\u2019s supposed reliance on Moscow.
\n\u201cIt is of particular strategic importance that we deepen cooperation between our defense industries. This strengthens both sides and also helps to make India less dependent on Russia, for example,\u201d Merz was quoted as saying by AFP.<\/p>\n
Defence cooperation is high on the agenda during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz\u2019s visit to India. A military cooperation between New Delhi and Berlin could potentially decrease India’s long-standing dependence on Russia for bolstering its military capabilities. pic.twitter.com\/YJfIOkxe6e\u2014 DW News (@dwnews) January 11, 2026 <\/p>\n
Responding to questions on the German chancellor\u2019s remarks, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday that India\u2019s defense sourcing is not driven by ideologies.
\n\u201cOur approach on defense sourcing is driven entirely by national interest. There are a lot of factors involved in that, and it is certainly not ideological, it is entirely driven by our interest,\u201d he stated. \u201cSo I would not say that sourcing from one is linked to sourcing from another.\u201d
\nBerlin and New Delhi have been in talks on a potential deal for Germany\u2019s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems to build six submarines for the Indian Navy.
\nMisri said there are technical, financial, and commercial discussions involved in the deal, adding, \u201cAll I can say is that discussions have maintained a positive momentum.\u201d
\nIndia counts France, Israel, and the US as its key military suppliers besides Russia, on which it has relied for decades for key military hardware.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
India and Russia turn 2025 upheaval into a new power script<\/p>\n
Around 60% of the Indian military\u2019s hardware is of Russian origin, and the two countries have expressed their willingness to further deepen ties.
\nIn August 2025, New Delhi approved defense purchases worth about $7.6 billion, which included more BrahMos missiles developed as part of an Indo-Russian joint venture. India also approved defense acquisitions worth $8.5 billion in December.
\nRosoboronexport, the Russian state agency for defense exports, has signed contracts with India worth $50 billion over the past 20 years, including engines for T-72 tanks, the mainstay of the Indian Army\u2019s armored fleet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for closer security cooperation between Berlin and New Delhi India has stressed that its defense purchases are solely determined by its national interest, after German…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26010,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26009","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t