PM Modi and Chancellor Scholz strengthen India-Germany ties, announce visa reforms by...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday that Germany is set to increase the annual quota of visas for skilled Indian workers from 20,000 to 90,000. This decision marks a significant boost in opportunities for skilled professionals from India to work in Germany. The announcement was made during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-day visit to India, where he and Modi engaged in bilateral discussions focused on enhancing trade relations between the two nations, which rank as the fifth and third largest economies in the world, respectively.

Addressing the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2024, Chancellor Scholz highlighted the growing presence of Indians in Germany, stating, "Today, Indians are the largest group of foreign students at our universities. Last year alone, the number of Indians working in Germany increased by 23,000." He expressed Germany’s readiness to welcome skilled talent from India and emphasized efforts to improve the visa process through digitization, faster procedures, and user-friendly measures.

However, Scholz also clarified that Germany would be tightening measures against irregular migration. He stated that while Germany is open to skilled workers, there will be strict controls on immigration, with efforts to send back those who do not meet the criteria for skilled labor.

The two leaders also discussed the ongoing negotiations for a free-trade agreement between India and the European Union, which resumed in June 2022 after a break of more than eight years. Additionally, Scholz and Modi focused on enhancing cooperation in defense and technology, expressing a shared interest in bringing their respective militaries closer together.