Ready to negotiate for metrorail projects in Andhra Pradesh: German Ambassador Philip Ackermann

“The Southern State of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) has high potential for business and it’s one of the focussed areas for Germany,” says the German Ambassador in India Philip Ackermann. The trade between India and Germany will grow multifold once the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which is being worked out according to the Ambassador. Speaking to The Hindu near Vijayawada, Mr. Ackermann said, the areas of interest for business include smart cities, metrorails, diamonds, renewable energy and green technologies.

Speaking of the Amaravati smart city (proposed capital of Andhra Pradesh) and metrorails in Visakhapatnam and Amaravati, Mr. Ackermann said, “When it comes to smart cities and public transport such as metrorail, we are interested. We have good expertise. If government of A.P. is interested in taking up with us, we would be ready to negotiate and deal for them in metrorail. We have good expertise and experience in metro and we have already done it in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and other cities.”

Dubbing A.P. as the power house of India, Mr. Ackermann said, the State is rightly positioned to make a mark in green hydrogen and other non-conventional energies. “When you talk about green energy, we’ve seen what Adani does in Gujarat. And Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said there is a plan to do something big in Andhra. It’s very interesting for us. I always wanted to meet the CM of A.P. When you see what happens here, kudos, it’s very impressive. My trip here is very important as it shows several other corners of businesses with Germany. We do have businesses in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana but now it’s now more important to focus on what is happening in Andhra.”

For information, Andhra Pradesh is already executing massive projects in green hydrogen, pumped storage power production, solar and other related renewables. In addition, the State is aiming to take up a bunch of green energy projects and looking at collaborations with domestic and multi-national companies.

Apart from this, free education in numerous German universities and job opportunities for IT and clinical care will go in tune with expectations of students and professionals from India according to the envoy. There are more than 60,000 Indian students studying in German universities and the number is growing by 20% annually.

FTA will be game changer

Responding on the high tariffs on Indian exports to the U.S., especially on shrimp etc, the German Ambassador said, Germany is very much interested in imports from India and there is an effort going on for FTA.

“Once fulfilled, it will be opposite of tariffs. India and Germany are working on a framework where there will be no or little tariffs. There is a clear commitment from Prime Minister of India and the President of European Commission to get to a free trade agreement which, I think, would be a game changer in many ways. It will allow India enter into Europe without tariffs,” he said.

There are increasing number of partnerships between institutions and firms in India and Germany. While Germany is impressed about the Indian digitisation experience, Indian industries are keen in partnering with Germany in engineering and manufacturing, especially, in electromobility and renewable energies according to Mr. Ackermann.

“India and Germany are working in partnership in biodiversity, green and sustainable development. We have a billion Euros of investment in the area. It’s mostly a credit based programme. Smart cities and metro are also the other areas of interest where the effort is to go for sustainable development through more renewables and less dependence on fossil fuels. Germany is interested in focussing on how India can become the energy exporter of green hydrogen to the world at some stage,” Mr. Ackermann said.

Indian diamonds preferred post sanctions on Russia:

Speaking of the diamond exports from India, the Ambassador said diamonds from India are very important after Germany imposed sanctions on Russian diamonds. “Post sanctions on diamonds from Russia we are looking at India as it has become the diamond nation number one and Surat has taken over Antwerp of Belgium in this context. I know it’s very difficult to distinguish between the diamonds from Russia or from Congo. Diamonds from India, we can be sure that they are mined in an acceptable way and not like in many African countries that have civil wars and conflicts,” Mr. Ackermann opined.