Germany is among the earliest countries in European Union (EU) to recognise the need to transform ties with India.

As India’s economic reforms started yielding results in terms of impressive growth rates almost a decade ago, Berlin saw the need for comprehensively engaging India.

Berlin’s ambitious Green Card programme – a special kind of work visa - introduced eight years ago with a view to attract young Indian professionals to work in Germany did not work satisfactorily as it did in countries like the United States.

But the German leadership has been quick to adjust its priorities. It recognised that it could do better if it focused more on core areas of Germany’s strength in long-standing ties with India – science, technology, research, education and trade.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, on her first visit to India, has precisely kept the focus on the core areas of strength in Indo-German ties. Throughout last year, Berlin took several initiatives to popularise India in Germany, the most important one being the focus on India at the Hanover trade fair and it ensured that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh paid a visit on the occasion.

Delhi and Germany have reasons to join hands. In just three years’ time, bilateral trade has doubled – jumping from 5 billion Euro to 10 billion Euro. At the Singh-Merkel summit meeting on Tuesday, the two leaders were very bullish on the trade front.

They drew up a target of taking the trade volume to 20 billion Euro in the next four years. Delhi believes that the target could even be surpassed if investment activities pick up momentum. Singh has told Merkel that Germany can lend momentum to trade by investing in the expansion and modernisation of Indian railway and power sectors in which it has proven expertise.

While economic and trade co-operation and co-operation in science, technology and research remain the backbone of the bilateral ties, both sides have sought to expand and strengthen strategic co-operation. There is a joint move, along with Japan and Brazil, for reform of the UN system.

Delhi has also made a case with Germany for its support in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) when the issue of India-specific relaxation of its guidelines comes up for consideration. Germany, which will soon take up the rotating chair of the group, has been sympathetic to India. Obviously, it realises the importance of the issue for fostering a strategic relationship.