According to German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann, Germany will import green hydrogen from India in the coming years. He said that India can emerge as an energy exporter. Renewable energy, AI and India-EU FTA will be key areas of economic cooperation in the future.
New Delhi, [भारत] July 30 (ANI): Germany to import green hydrogen from India in the coming years. German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann said this on Thursday. He also said that India can emerge as an energy exporter.
They identified renewable energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the proposed India-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as key areas that can drive bilateral economic cooperation in the future.
Emphasis on green hydrogen and renewable energy
“I think India will be an energy exporter in a few years… I think Germany can be a customer of this green hydrogen in the future,” Ackermann said at the Indo-German Industries Dialogue organized by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.
Calling renewable energy a strategic pillar of India-Germany relations, Ackermann said the two countries are working to deepen cooperation in hydrogen technologies. “I think our ministry is now working with India on hydrogen in a very concrete way,” he said.
Recalling his visit to Adani Group’s renewable energy project in Kutch, Gujarat, the ambassador said he was impressed by the scale of India’s solar and wind power generation and its plans for green hydrogen. “They’ve got an incredible amount of electricity there that they can generate through this solar and wind field. They have very ambitious plans about green hydrogen,” he said.
Ackermann also highlighted the MoU between ThyssenKrupp and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to pursue localization of alkaline water electrolyzer technology. “Combining electrolysis technology with strong local engineering and manufacturing is very, very important to support the implementation of green hydrogen projects,” he said.
Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (AI)
He said AI, semiconductors, digital manufacturing and Industry 5.0 will be another key area of cooperation as both countries look to build technology partnerships and new value chains. “We are in the midst of transforming production and creating entirely new value chains and new jobs,” Ackerman said.
Referring to the AI summit held in New Delhi earlier this year, he said India and Germany have agreed to deepen digital cooperation and launched a bilateral AI agreement, which aims to combine India’s AI and software capabilities with Germany’s industrial strength. The initiative also aims to improve market access for startups and small and medium enterprises, diversify supply chains, and promote responsible AI development.
trade and bilateral relations
On trade, Ackermann termed the proposed India-EU FTA as “probably the biggest game changer for German businesses in India” and expressed hope that it would be signed by the end of this year and implemented in the first half of next year.
Responding to a question from ANI on the sidelines of the event, Ackermann said Germany is optimistic about bilateral trade relations, noting that it is India’s largest trading partner in Europe, with an annual trade of over USD 50 billion. He said the FTA could boost German business engagement and investment in India.
On the proposed submarine deal, Ackerman said, “I am very optimistic and confident that it will be signed very soon, probably in the next month.”
He also described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “very hands-on” and “very engaged” partner, adding, “We see the Prime Minister as a very strong friend of Germany.” (ANI)
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