German Navy frigate Baden-Wuerttemberg and the combat support ship Frankfurt am Main, made a scheduled port call as part of Germany's Indo-Pacific deployment at Goa's Mormugao Port on Saturday.
German Navy Captain Helge Risch said, "It is a great pleasure and honour for us to welcome here...It is a good opportunity to meet and greet. We have reached the end of our Indo-Pacific deployment...We are happy to be here in India because it is the biggest democracy in the world and one of our partners in the region. For the upcoming future even more important."
Captain Helge Risch of the German Navy expressed his pleasure in visiting India as part of their Indo-Pacific deployment. He emphasised the importance of India as the largest democracy and a key partner in the region, highlighting the opportunity for collaboration and strengthening ties in the future.
German Navy Captain further stated that in the future, India would be an important partner in the region as we are all committed to the same values. He also mentioned how they conducted exercises with the Indian Eastern and Western Navy Command.
"For the upcoming future, India is going to be an important partner in the region because we are all committed to the same values: Freedom of Navigation and United Convention at Sea. We had some very challenging but good experiences with the Indian Navy at the sea. We conducted some exercises first with the Eastern Navy Command and over the last few days with the Western Navy Command. We executed these exercises in a very professional manner", he added.
German Navy Captain Helge Risch continued by saying that he was extremely impressed with the professional knowledge of the Indian sailors. He hoped that his crew would get a chance to meet Indian people because India's hospitality is well-known in Germany and all over the world
"I was extremely impressed about the spirits of the Indian sailors, but also about the professional knowledge they have. All in all, our common exercises were a full success and now we are happy to be welcomed at the port of Goa. India means something special to us, as India is full of cultural heritage. I hope my crew will get a chance to look around a little and to meet the Indian people because India's hospitality is well-known in Germany and all over the world", he said.
"This is just the beginning and we might have much more cooperation in the future", German Navy Captain said.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2024 where he hailed the strengthening ties between India and Germany, citing recent collaborations as evidence of their deepening friendship.
Addressing the Conference, PM Modi said, "On one hand, the CEO Forum meeting is being held here, on the other hand, our navies are practising together. German naval ships are on a port call in Goa. And in a short while from now, the seventh inter-governmental consultations between India and Germany are also to be organized", he said.
