June 3, 2026 12:52 PM

Germany scraps airport transit visa requirement for Indians; move takes effect from June 3

Indian nationals will no longer require an airport transit visa when travelling to a third country through German airports, the German Embassy in India announced on Tuesday. “Indian nationals will no longer require a transit visa when traveling to another country with a layover at a German airport. The lifting of the so-called airport transit visa requirement for Indian citizens was announced in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt) on June 2, 2026, and takes effect on June 3, 2026,” ...

May 4, 2026 12:34 PM

NATO’s Rutte says Europeans have ‘gotten message’ from Trump

European nations have "gotten the message" from U.S. President Donald Trump and are now ensuring that agreements on the use of military bases are being implemented, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday. Trump has accused some NATO nations of not doing enough to support the United States in the Iran war. In a further sign of his discontent with European allies, the U.S. announced on Friday plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. "Yes, there has been some disappointment from the...

May 4, 2026 10:04 AM

German chancellor downplays row with Trump after troop drawdown announced

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he must accept that President Donald Trump does not share his opinions in order to work with the United States within NATO, but stressed there was no link between their rift and a planned troop drawdown. Merz dismissed suggestions that his criticism of U.S. war planning in Iran had sparked Washington's Friday announcement that the U.S. would reduce its military presence in Germany, its largest European base, by 5,000 soldiers, and repeated his commitment to...

April 29, 2026 2:59 PM

Trump hits back at German chancellor after Iran criticism

U.S. President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war in Iran on Tuesday, a day after Merz said the Iranians were humiliating the United States in talks to end it. "The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, mischaracterizing Merz's position. Merz has said Iran must not have a nuclear weapon. Merz said on Monday that Iran's leaders...

April 23, 2026 4:08 PM

Rajnath Singh invites German industry leaders to co-develop defence tech, calls India a long-term strategic partner

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday invited German companies to co-develop and co-produce advanced defence technologies with India, emphasising the need for trusted partnerships amid growing global uncertainties. Addressing Indian and German industry leaders at the Defence Investor Summit in Munich, Singh said collaborations based on reliability and shared interests are essential at a time when nations are reassessing supply chains and strategic dependencies due to geopolitical shifts an...

April 22, 2026 10:01 PM

India among 12 countries selected for FIFA Women’s Development Programme

India, on Wednesday, became one of the 12 countries selected by FIFA for the FIFA Women’s Development Programme (Commercial Strategy 2026). The other countries include Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Scotland, Canada, Mexico, Finland, Ghana, Jordan, Lithuania, and Paraguay. India’s inclusion in the programme was confirmed by FIFA after an initial application by AIFF, which was followed by a detailed presentation of the commercial strategy and future plans. The programme will be held onlin...

April 22, 2026 10:51 AM

Rajnath Singh engages Indian diaspora in Berlin, highlights role in strengthening India-Germany ties

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday interacted with members of the Indian diaspora in Berlin, describing the community as a vital link in deepening ties between India and Germany. Addressing a gathering on the first day of his three-day visit, Singh praised the nearly 300,000-strong Indian community in Germany for its contributions across sectors such as business, technology, healthcare, academia, and the arts. He termed the diaspora the “strongest bridge” connecting the two nations a...

April 21, 2026 11:24 AM

Rajnath Singh to visit Germany to boost defence cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will undertake a three-day official visit to Germany from April 21 to 23, aimed at strengthening the strategic defence partnership between the two nations. During the visit, Singh is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius and other senior government leaders. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that discussions will focus on enhancing defence industrial collaboration, strengthening military-to-military engagements, and explorin...

April 15, 2026 7:27 PM

Germany seeks $1 billion in aid for Sudan to ease hunger crisis

Germany pledged a further 20 million euros ($23.6 million) to Sudan this year, the development ministry said on Wednesday, ahead of an international aid conference hosted in Berlin that is aiming to gather more than $1 billion in funding commitments. The brutal war between the Sudanese army and the ​paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which enters its third year on Wednesday, has created what aid groups say is now the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Millions of people have been forced to f...

April 15, 2026 12:52 PM

India, Germany agree to deepen strategic ties; Johann Wadephul hails progress

India and Germany have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, agreeing to deepen cooperation across a wide range of sectors during the India-Germany Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Berlin on Tuesday. The consultations were co-chaired by India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Germany’s State Secretary Géza Andreas von Geyr. During the visit, Misri also met German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who appreciated the steady progress in the India-Germany S...