Germany and India to make mobility easier in each other’s countries

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (External Affairs Minister) and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock signed an agreement on mutual mobility to make it easier for people of both countries to study, work, and do research in each other’s countries.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Berlin in May this year, Germany and India agreed on a mobility and migration partnership. It will enable students, researchers, and professionals to explore their great potential. 

German chancellor Olaf Scholz said, “It is the first agreement of this kind for our country.” He further mentioned that the science sector and higher education indicate the ever-closer independence between the two countries. He added, “More than 17,000 Indian students take advantage of offers from German universities. You are very welcome in Germany – even after your studies.” 

Under the Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement, India and Germany will facilitate movement between the two countries, focusing on establishing digital preparatory courses.

The Agreement includes 18 months of extended residence permits to students, 3,000 job seeker visas annually, the Academic Evaluation Center in New Delhi, liberalized short-stay multiple entry visas, and streamlined re-admission procedures.

Both governments will promote student exchange programs in the form of joint or dual degrees. 

Baerbock, in her conversation with S Jaishankar, appreciated how India had impressively lifted more than 400 million people from poverty in the last 15 years. She said, “It shows that social plurality, freedom, and democracy are a motor for economic development, peace, and stability. Working on this together with strengthening human rights is also our task.”

The German foreign minister arrived for a 2 day visit to the national capital. She will visit projects for sustainability and renewable energies in rural surroundings.