Bilateral relations between the Republic of India and Federal Republic of Germany have been traditionally strong due to strong cultural, commercial and technological co-operation.
History Historic relations
In 1407 CE, Romani people, believed to be of Indian origin, were recorded living in Germany; within ten years they are expelled.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, several German scholars made significant contributions to the exploration of Indian culture and the study of Sanskrit, working on the foundations laid by people like Heinrich Roth and Johann Ernst Hanxleden.
One of the most prominent figures was Max Müller (1823–1900), a German philologist and Orientalist. He edited the 50-volume series Sacred Books of the East, bringing Indian and eastern texts to a western audience. Franz Bopp made groupbreaking contributions to Indo-European studies. Other important 19th century German Indologists where Albrecht Weber, Hermann Oldenberg, Friedrich Schlegel and Georg Bühler. Indology became an important academic discipline in German universities, and Indian thought had its influences on German philosophy, with Indomania developing in some circles.
During World War I, India was ruled as an empire by the British monarch as the Emperor of India. Consequently, the Indian Army was ordered to contribute soldiers to the Allied war effort, including on the Western Front. Pro-independence activists within the colonial armies sought German assistance in procuring India's freedom, resulting in the Hindu–German Conspiracy during World War I.
During World War II, the Allied war effort mobilized 2.5 million volunteer troops from India. The Indian Congress Party supported the British declaration of war on Germany in September 1939. Subhas Chandra Bose, a prominent Indian independence activist, refused to accept cooperation with the British government and made a determined effort to obtain India's independence from Britain by seeking military assistance from the Axis powers. The Indische Legion was formed to serve as a liberation force for India and was principally made up of Indian PoWs and expatriates in Europe. After India became independent in 1947, Germany was considered an enemy state under Indian law. On March 7, 1951, this situation came to an end, as the government of India and the government of West Germany established diplomatic relations.75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Germany
The book Mein Kampf by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has remained popular in India even in the 21st century. Some early Hindu nationalists saw Fascism as an inspiration.
The newly formed Republic of India was one of the first nations to end the State of War with Germany after World War II and did not claim war reparations from Germany although 24,000 soldiers serving in the Indian Army died in the campaign to fight Germany.
India maintained diplomatic relations with both West Germany and East Germany and supported their reunification in 1990.
West Germany condemned India for liberating Goa from Portuguese rule in 1961 and supported Portugal's dictatorial regime under Salazar against India. West Germany was critical of India for intervening in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. West Germany rejected India's 1998 nuclear tests with Chancellor Helmut Kohl saying: "This was the wrong decision for them to take; we do not accept that decision."
Strategic ties after the Cold War
The India-Germany strategic relationship is limited by the insignificance of German geopolitical influence in Asian affairs. Contrary to France and the UK, Germany has no strategic footprint in Asia.
Over the past decade, Indo-German trade grew in volume but dropped in importance. According to Indian Ministry of Commerce MX data: Total trade between India and Germany was $5.5 billion (3.8% share of Indian trade and ranked 6) in 2004 and $21.6 billion (2.6% share of Indian trade and ranked 9) in 2013. Indian exports to Germany were $2.54 billion (3.99% ranked 6) in 2004 and $7.3 billion (2.41% ranked 10) in 2013. Indian imports from Germany were $2.92 billion (3.73% ranked 6) in 2004 and $14.33 billion (2.92% ranked 10) in 2013.
Global geopolitical reordering India and Germany both seek to become permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and have joined with Japan and Brazil to coordinate their efforts via the G4 collective. At the UN General Assembly summit in New York in September 2015, the P5 members of the UNSC dismissed any notion of dilution of their power at the UN's high-table and severely undermined efforts by G4 nations to gain access to the exclusive club. While India maintains that it will continue to demand a permanent seat with veto powers within a reformed UNSC with privileges identical to the P5 nations, it has signalled that strengthening of bilateral economic and political ties with neighbouring countries is the immediate priority. Prevailing consensus within the United Nations that Europe is already over-represented within the UN Security Council, juxtaposed with long-established opposition from within Europe to the German candidature, constitute indomitable obstacles which confront Germany.
Defence and security
India and Germany maintain an ongoing dialogue in the areas of commercial maritime security and cooperation in the field of anti-terrorism. The Indian Navy and the German Navy conducted joint-exercises in 2008 for the first time, following an anti-piracy co-operation agreement between the two nations signed in 2006.
In 2006 the two countries signed the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement. A followup agreement, the Arrangement on Implementation of the Agreement of 2006 concerning Bilateral Defence Cooperation, was signed in 2019.
Germany's military is principally structured to defend Eastern Europe and to supporting NATO operations in the Western European theatre of operations. Unlike UK and France, Germany not only does not have any sovereign territories in the Indo-Pacific region but is also incapable of power projection.
Hostile public sentiment in Germany towards overseas combat operations and the inability of Germany to independently sustain high-intensity long-range military deployments are obstacles to a meaningful strategic defense and security relationship.
The MP5 submachine gun is used by Indian special forces.
As part of Germany's strategic transformation and strengthening of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, Germany's ThyssenKrupp AG and India's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly bid for the construction of submarine for the Indian Navy. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stressed that India's continued reliance on Russian weapons is not in Germany's interest, he also acknowledging that "Germany cannot change (India's reliance on Russian weapons) on our own". In 2025, Rheinmetall and Reliance Defence came together in the field of ammunition manufacturing. Reliance has also tied up with Diehl Defence. Germany's Hensoldt has partnered with Indian firms (such as Samtel Avionics) in the area of radar, sensor, and avionics technologies.
In the first half of 2024, India was the third largest importer of the German defense sector. Germany is fifth among India's defense suppliers.
In 2024, Germany participated in the first edition of Exercise Tarang Shakti. The German Air Force contingent consisted of five Eurofighter Typhoon and an A400M Atlas, which is the largest deployment of German air assets in an exercise as well as their first deployment to a millitary exercise in India. One of the jets was piloted by Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, the Chief of the German Air Force, who flew five hours straight to the Sulur Air Force Station.
In 2024, India and Germany signed a mutual legal assistance treaty. In 2015 Germany had refused to sign the treaty.
In April 2026, Germany and India signed a Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap. The two countries have agreed to coordinate in the area of United Nations peacekeeping training.
Cultural and educational cooperation Germany has supported education and cultural programmes in India. Germany helped establish the Indian Institute of Technology Madras after both governments signed an agreement in 1956 and increased its co-operation and supply of technology and resources over the decades to help expand the institution.
In the late 1960s, German aircraft designer Kurt Tank, who worked for Focke-Wulf during World War II, went to work in India. Kurt was first employed as the Director of the Madras Institute of Technology, and later joined Hindustan Aeronautics, where he designed the Hindustan Marut fighter-bomber, the first military aircraft constructed in India. Kurt Tank left Hindustan Aeronautics in 1967 and by the 1970s had returned to live in Berlin.
Both nations established the Indo-German Science and Technology Centre in New Delhi to promote joint research and development in energy, environment, coal and water technologies.
India and Germany have signed a MoU regarding the teaching of German language in Kendriya Vidyalaya public schools in India and the reciprocal introduction of Sanskrit and modern Indian language in government schools in Germany.
Starting from 1999, several German educational institutions have relied on satellite launch services provided by ISRO. DLR-Tubsat, BIRD, Rubin-8, Compass-1, Rubin-9A, Rubin-9B, BeeSat, UWE-2 & AISAT were all successfully launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.
As of 2025/26 just under 70,000 Indian students are in German universities making Indians the largest group of international students in Germany. In 2024, 60% of Indian students in Germany took up engineering including biology related fields, followed by social sciences, economics and management at 21%, and mathematics and natural sciences at 18%. Reasons for choosing Germany, as compared to other countries traditionally chosen by Indian students, includes high-quality affordable education and clearer post-education job opportunities.
Trade and investment
Stiff competition between foreign manufactured goods within the Indian market has seen machine-tools, automotive parts and medical supplies from German Mittelstand ceding ground to high-technology imports manufactured by companies located in ASEAN and BRICS countries.
For the 2012-2013 (April–July) period, India's top 10 trading partners according to data published by the Indian Ministry of Commerce: Rank Country Total Trade bn US$ Trade Share % 1 49.5 8.7 2 46.0 8.1 3 (UAE) 45.4 8.0 4 36.3 6.4 5 16.7 2.9 6 15.5 2.7 7 15.4 2.7 8 14.8 2.6 9 14.7 2.6 10 14.6 2.6
According to German Statistisches Bundesamt Indo-German trade data for 2014 : total trade with India was €15.98 billion (ranked 25) with €1.86 billion trade balance in Germany's favour. German exports to India was €8.92 billion (ranked 25), German imports from India was €7.06 billion (ranked 27). By 2023, total trade had grown to €30.8 billion (ranked 23) with €2.19 billion trade balance in Germany's favour.
Germany is India's largest trading partner in Europe. Germany is the 8th largest foreign direct investor (FDI) in India. Germany's FDI totaled about US$5.2 billion during the period 2000–2012, constituting about 3% of total FDI to India. Indian investments in Germany have seen sharp increase in last few years. (Note: As a measure of comparison, Remittances to India by the Indian diaspora worldwide was US$70 billion in 2013–14).
Indian Prime-Minister Narendra Modi jointly opened the Hannover trade fair Hannover Messe 2015 on 12 April 2015 along with Angela Merkel and held trade & investment discussions with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.