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Flagging the ripple effects of the ongoing West Asian conflict, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday cautioned that any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz carries immediate consequences for India’s security and economy.
Addressing the German Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security on the first day of his three-day visit, Singh said the crisis unfolding in the region cannot be viewed as a distant geopolitical episode.
“For a country like India, which depends significantly on West Asia for energy, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are stark realities with direct implications for our security and economic stability,” he said.
The Minister’s remarks come as the conflict in West Asia stretches past 50 days, triggering concerns over energy flows, supply chains and broader economic stability. He underlined that such crises are no longer confined to regions, but have global consequences from energy and food security to humanitarian fallout.
Singh pointed to the changing nature of warfare and security, saying rapid technological shifts have made the global landscape more complex and tightly interlinked.
“New threats demand new thinking,” he said, stressing the need for countries to adapt quickly and work through coordinated, trusted partnerships.
Making a strong pitch for closer defence ties, Singh called for deeper collaboration between Indian and German defence industries. He said both countries bring complementary strengths, Germany’s established industrial base and innovative Mittelstand, and India’s growing ecosystem of startups and private defence firms.
Referring to the government’s self-reliance push, he said Aatmanirbhar Bharat should be seen not as a closed procurement policy but as an opportunity for joint development.
“It is an invitation to co-create, co-develop and co-innovate,” he said.
Singh also highlighted the political backing for stronger ties, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have prioritised advancing the strategic partnership. He pointed to growing alignment at the European Union level, including momentum around an India-EU defence and strategic framework.
Calling India and Germany “consequential voices” in shaping global discourse, Singh said both democracies are bound by shared values and driven by resilient, innovation-led economies. He urged German lawmakers to support a deeper, long-term defence partnership.
“The geopolitical instability we see today cannot be treated as isolated events,” he said.
“These are developments with far-reaching implications for global stability.”
Singh arrived in Berlin to a ceremonial welcome, including military honours. According to the Defence Ministry, he was flown from Munich in a special German Air Force aircraft escorted by fighter jets, a gesture underscoring the growing warmth in bilateral ties.
Team BharatShakti
