Germany, India to sign cooperation agreement 06/09/2006 00:00

6 September 2006

BERLIN - Defence ministers from Germany and India were due to sign a cooperation agreement on Wednesday strengthening the strategic partnership between their two nations.

German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung and his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee were set to sign the accord at a meeting at the defence ministry in Berlin on Wednesday evening.

Mukherjee arrived in Germany on Tuesday from France where he discussed the prospect of increased cooperation in the defence sector with French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie.

India is hoping the agreement with Germany could lead to the transfer of German technology and the creation of a framework for holding joint naval exercises, defence sources said.

The minister was also expected to seek the support of Germany for a removal of the last of the sanctions on India's nuclear programme during his four-day visit.

Western nations imposed a range of sanctions after India conducted nuclear weapons tests in 1998, although most of the restrictions have since been removed.

Shortly before the visit, India recalled its defence attache at the Indian embassy in Germany because the government felt he was exceeding his brief.

Brigadier PC Panjikar was ordered home for allegedly canvassing armaments firms.

The Indian defence minister is also scheduled to pay homage to Indian soldiers killed during World War I who are buried at a cemetery in Zehrensdorf near Berlin.

DPA

Subject: German news