New Delhi, April 21 (NationPress) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to embark on a three-day official visit to Germany starting Tuesday, with the objective of fortifying the strategic defence alliance between India and Germany while enhancing bilateral relations.

During his trip, Rajnath Singh will engage in bilateral discussions with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius and other high-ranking officials from the German government, with a focus on pivotal areas of collaboration.

The agenda will include advancing defence industrial partnerships, increasing military-to-military exchanges, and investigating new prospects in emerging fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and drone technologies.

Both defence ministers are anticipated to sign a Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and an Implementing Arrangement for cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Training during this visit.

These accords are viewed as critical measures to enhance joint development and co-production of defence technologies, according to an official press release issued prior to the visit.

The trip will also serve as a vital opportunity to assess ongoing defence cooperation initiatives and pinpoint new routes for collaboration between the defence sectors of both nations.

Rajnath Singh is expected to connect with key players in the German defence industry to encourage joint ventures, technology collaborations, and co-production initiatives that align with India’s ‘Make in India’ campaign.

This marks the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Germany in seven years, underscoring the importance of engagement at this pivotal time.

The last such visit was made by Nirmala Sitharaman in February 2019. Boris Pistorius had visited India earlier in June 2023 for extensive discussions with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

India and Germany share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership founded on mutual democratic values, adherence to the rule of law, and a collective vision for a rules-based international order.

In recent years, defence and security collaboration has become a crucial cornerstone of this relationship, with both nations eager to deepen engagement across various domains.

The upcoming visit is poised to further strengthen bilateral relations and contribute significantly to regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity.

Given Germany's status as a vital European ally for India, the results of this visit are likely to inject new energy into the expanding defence cooperation between the two nations across multiple sectors.