Both sides are seeking to enhance research, co-development and co-production activities

India and Germany have acknowledged the need to further deepen bilateral security and defence cooperation as strategic partners to jointly address global security challenges.

At the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (ICG) held in Berlin on Monday, they agreed to intensify bilateral exchanges on security and defence issues.

The plenary session of the IGC was co-chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

According to a Joint Statement issued after the talks, both sides are actively seeking to enhance research, co-development and co-production activities bilaterally, under EU and with other partners. In this regard, both sides agreed to continue to hold regular bilateral Cyber Consultations and reconvene the Defence Technology Sub-Group (DTSG) meeting.

The two Governments expressed support for enhancing high-technology trade, including defence goods, between the two countries, the Joint Statement added.

With a view to deepening the security cooperation, both sides agreed to begin negotiations on an Agreement on the exchange of classified information, said Joint Statement issued after the talks.

"The focus in the Defence Partnership, between our two countries has been on how the two countries can work together on co-designing, co-development, co-manufacturing, of different elements of Defence manufacturing," Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra reiterated in response to a query at a media briefing after the day's talks.