Crossfire War – BERLIN WATCH – South Asia Theatre: Tehran – Islamabad/Delhi – Berlin; India – Germany to Sign Defence Agreement Sunday – Iran in View
Night Watch: BERLIN – On Sunday India Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee is to sign a defence cooperation agreement with Germany during his visit to Berlin. A spokesman for India’s Defense Ministry stated, “The agreement will open doors at German technology transfers to India and provide the framework for holding joint naval exercises and more interaction between the armed forces of the two countries.” Mukherjee will be meeting with German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung and Michael Gloss the Minister for Technology and Economics. [WEBINDIA]
This is obviously being done with Iran in mind. If the conflict on the subcontinent was to remain just between India/Pakistan then Germany would not believe its economic contacts in and around South Asia would be at serious risks. But Iran is the difference this time. Pakistan has never had this kind of support before and they are going to take advantage of it. Fortunately the agreement will be signed during the month that is most likely for war to break out in South Asia due to the end of the monsoon season.
The naval cooperation will improve the chances of shipping lanes around India remaining open but I don’t think the defence agreement will have much impact as to what happens on the ground. Tehran definitely wants Berlin and other European capitals to be much more concerned with the resumed fighting in the Balkans when Iran activates its security agreement with Serbia.
Mukherjee is to address a gathering of the highest echelon of the German defence industry and from there he is to depart for Paris and meet with French defence officials. Paris also seeks involvement in India’s nuclear industry but I don’t know if they plan any military cooperation.
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