**Executive Summary**
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will undertake a three-day official visit to Germany from April 21 to 23, 2026, to strengthen the strategic defence partnership. The visit aims to enhance defence industrial collaboration and explore emerging technologies like AI and cyber security. Key objectives include signing a Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and promoting joint production under the ‘Make-in-India’ initiative.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Bilateral and Diplomatic Engagements**
* Scheduled bilateral talks with German Defence Minister Mr. Boris Pistorius and senior government leaders.
* This marks the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Germany since February 2019.
* The visit seeks to review ongoing initiatives and deepen ties anchored in democratic values and a rule-based international order.
**Defence Industrial Collaboration**
* Focus on identifying new avenues for collaboration between the defence industries of both nations.
* Interaction with German defence industry representatives to promote joint development and co-production.
* Emphasis on aligning German industry expertise with India’s ‘Make-in-India’ initiative.
**Emerging Domains and Training**
* Exploration of cooperation in high-tech domains including cyber security, artificial intelligence (AI), and drones.
* Expected signing of an Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Training.
* Focus on strengthening military-to-military engagements to contribute to global peace and stability.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Defence (India and Germany)**
**Impact**
The ministries will establish a more robust framework for long-term strategic and security cooperation.
**Action Required**
Ministers must conduct bilateral talks and formalize the Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and UN Peacekeeping training arrangements.
**German Defence Industry**
**Impact**
German firms gain an opportunity to expand their presence in the Indian market through joint ventures and technology sharing.
**Action Required**
Key representatives must engage with the Raksha Mantri to identify specific projects for joint development and co-production.
**Indian Defence Sector**
**Impact**
The sector stands to benefit from German technical expertise in emerging fields like drones, AI, and cyber security.
**Action Required**
Domestic stakeholders should prepare to integrate German industrial collaboration under the ‘Make-in-India’ framework as new avenues are identified.
Key Entities Referenced
Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap: A strategic document intended to guide and enhance industrial collaboration between the Indian and German defence sectors.
Make-in-India initiative: A national program leveraged to promote joint development and co-production of defence equipment between India and Germany.
Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Training: A bilateral agreement focused on collaborative training and capacity building for international peacekeeping missions.
Ministry of Defence: The primary Indian government department responsible for the official visit and bilateral defence negotiations.
Germany: The strategic international partner and central location for the high-level visit to deepen bilateral defence and security ties.
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri to undertake 3-day visit to
Germany
Focus on enhancing defence industrial collaboration, military-
to-military engagements & exploring opportunities in
emerging domains
Posted On: 19 APR 2026 12:00PM by PIB Delhi
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will undertake an official visit to Germany from April 21 to 23, 2026 to
further strengthen the strategic defence partnership between the two countries. During the visit, Raksha
Mantri is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his German counterpart Mr Boris Pistorius and other senior
leaders of the government.
Discussions will focus on enhancing defence industrial collaboration, strengthening military-to-military
engagements, and exploring opportunities in emerging domains such as cyber security, artificial
intelligence, and drones. A Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and Implementing Arrangement for
Cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Training are likely to be signed in the presence of both
Defence Ministers.
The visit will provide an opportunity to review the ongoing defence cooperation initiatives and identify
new avenues for collaboration between the defence industries of both countries. Shri Rajnath Singh is also
expected to interact with key representatives of the German defence industry, with a view to promoting
joint development and co-production under the Make-in-India initiative.
This visit of Raksha Mantri comes after a gap of seven years. The last visit by an Indian Defence Minister
to Germany was by Smt Nirmala Sitharaman in February 2019. Mr Boris Pistorius had visited India in
June 2023 and held extensive talks with Shri Rajnath Singh.
India and Germany share a strong & multifaceted strategic partnership, anchored in democratic values,
rule of law, and a shared commitment to a rule-based international order. Defence and security cooperation
has emerged as an important pillar of this partnership in recent years. The objective of the visit is to
further deepen bilateral ties and contribute to regional & global peace, stability, and prosperity.
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