New Delhi: In a significant development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced Germany's decision to increase the visa number for the skilled Indian workforce from 20,000 to 90,000 and said it will give a new pace to Germany's growth.
While speaking at the Asia Pacific conference of German business, PM Modi said, "We have chalked out a roadmap of Viksit Bharat in the coming 25 years. I am happy that in this important time, the German cabinet has released the 'Focus on India's document...Germany has decided to increase the visa number for the skilled Indian workforce from 20,000 to 90,000. It will give a new pace to Germany's growth."
"Two of the world's leading economies, together, we can become a force for global good, and the Focus on India document provides a blueprint for this. In this, Germany’s holistic approach and commitment to pursuing the strategic partnership are evident. Germany's new visa policy underscores the country’s increasing interest in accessing India’s skilled workforce," he said.
He noted that this is the correct time to get involved in India's growth story. When India's dynamism and Germany's precision meet when Germany's engineering and India's innovation meet and when Germany's technology and India's talent meet - it ensures a better future for the world, including the Indo-Pacific.
"You all are in the business world and you have the mantra of 'when we meet, we mean business'. But, coming to India isn't about business only. If you don't give time to India's culture, cuisine and shopping, you'll miss many things. I assure you, you'll be happy and back home, your family will be happier", he added.
Prime Minister Modi emphasised that India stands on the four strong pillars of democracy, demography, demand and data. Talent, technology, innovation and infrastructure are the tools of India's growth. "To drive them all, one strong force is there in India AI--Aspirational India and Artificial Intelligence--this double power is there in India... India is working on the needs of the future world," he added.
It is pertinent to note that Germany has announced a skilled labour strategy centred towards India recently, which aims at improving the mobility of skilled workforce from India to Germany to address the severe shortage of workforce in Germany.
This is the first country-specific strategy that Germany has unveiled in this regard. According to sources, Germany is keen to attract skilled labour from India, with the country already hosting 50,000 Indian students- the largest non-German group in its universities.
PM Narendra Modi, along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on a visit to New Delhi, later held the 7th Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) today.
Both leaders reviewed the progress in the India-Germany Strategic Partnership in the areas of defence, security, technology and innovation, energy and green and sustainable development. To expand and elevate India-German relations, new initiatives in the areas of AI, semiconductors and clean energy were taken. The PM welcomed Germany’s ‘Focus on India’ strategy and the progress made between India and Germany in education, skilling and mobility.'
Read more: Explained | German Chancellor’s Visit: The Economic Significance For India
