The Germans are coming
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An English friend of mine once jokeingly summerised German foreign policy as: "We really dont care who you are and what you think of us, but would you like to buy a new car?"
And I think I must agree with him. With a few exceptions German foreign policy after 1949 has constantly been about economics. Military cooperations has always been secondary.
The few exceptions we have are France, Poland, Russia and Israel.
With France we have a 50 year old agreement of friendship and have asked forgiveness for our crimes, it is accepted by both our countries that the most horrible wars in Europe were the result of Frnech-German hatred and that friendly releations between our countries is a must for a peacefull Europe. With Poland we are still asking for forgiveness. With Israel we have a bond that is forged through historic responibility to ensure their safety, so we give them economic assistance, reperations and once every few year we give them a blanco check for a shopping spree through Germanies weapons manufacturers. With Russia we use to have a releation of asking for forgiveness - which might have changed in recent months as anti-Russian sentiment in Germany is starting to grow.
Well, our releation with India are in many ways the same as with everyone else. Which is pritty much: "Would you like to buy a VolksWagen? And maybe even some tanks?". But has been getting more important in recent years as Germany has become Indias biggest and most important trading partner within Europe as the financial volume of our trade lies at 16 billion euros. Despite being such great trading partners, German direct investment into India is unfortunatly somewhat low, as we are only numeber 8 amongst the countries with the biggest direct investment into Indias economy. Especialy agricultural products have started to show up in bigger quantity in German stores, financial services in trade between our countries are also growing aswell as many other parts of the service sector economy. German exports into India are mainly machines, chemicals, manufactured metal products, household appliances and cars.
VolksWagen recently built a car factory at the price of 580 million in the Indian city of Pune to be fully functional within the year 2014. Our car indutry had previously expanded into China with 2 factories there and with the rising Indian middle class that is hungry for cars, I hope that VW will not only bring jobs to India, but that Indians will help us in cementing German dominace over the global automobile industry. Since German industry likes to outsource production into the ereas where exports are very succesfull, I think companies like Bosch will very likely also open factories in India in the near future.
It is generaly accepted by most German politicians that the sole best way to ensure peace and good releations is to help create a succefull economy with a prosperous middle class abroad. But with India we are also engaged in other ways. Since 2013 we have a bilateral agreement on furthering scientific research between our nations and to cooperate in fighting terrorism. There are various scientific institutions in India with Germany funding and German researchers working together with Indian funding and Indian researchers. I have witnessed myself that many Indian students come to our universities and colleges to work on degrees in engeneering, biology and chemistry. We are also one of the first countries who stopped condeming Indias nuclear capacity and are currently enaged with your nuclear institutions in working on scientific advances on nuclear technology. Energy is in fact the main point of cooperation between the scientific communities of both our countries. Our cooperation in science and education has become so well that India is now the 2nd most important partner of Germany in scientific research after the USA.
Our releations with Pakistan has been pritty bad in recent years. The obvious sheltering of the Taliban, the murder of German healthworkers and journalists, the hiding of Bin Laden, the usual "kill all jews" nonsence that comes from most islamic countries, the massive misuse of Western aid money to produce nuclear weapons aswell as it`s chaotic state. Who is actualy in charge there? The army? The government? The intelligence services? What is the point of negotiating with a country when you dont even know with whom to negotiate with? And who would open a buisness in a place like that? Worst of all is probably the blatant and criminal shelter that pakistani officials gave to the people who organised and planned the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, aswell as the fact that Pakistan is unappologetic and to some extent even trying to justify actions like that attack whilest still sending terror groups into India. A country that engages in such conduct should be treated like North Korea by the international community and I think it would have been if Nato wouldnt had to rely on supply routes through Pakistan into Afghanistan. I hope that after the war in Afghanistan is over, that this stain of terror and stabbing partners in the back will remain on Pakistan for years to come and that the international community will put the persure on this country that it deserves for it`s violations. It is with quite a bit of irony how this country was founded as a safe heaven for muslims in that region, but muslims in that region are now safer and with more liberties in India. India is proberly the only properly functioning democracy in that region.
And I think I must agree with him. With a few exceptions German foreign policy after 1949 has constantly been about economics. Military cooperations has always been secondary.
The few exceptions we have are France, Poland, Russia and Israel.
With France we have a 50 year old agreement of friendship and have asked forgiveness for our crimes, it is accepted by both our countries that the most horrible wars in Europe were the result of Frnech-German hatred and that friendly releations between our countries is a must for a peacefull Europe. With Poland we are still asking for forgiveness. With Israel we have a bond that is forged through historic responibility to ensure their safety, so we give them economic assistance, reperations and once every few year we give them a blanco check for a shopping spree through Germanies weapons manufacturers. With Russia we use to have a releation of asking for forgiveness - which might have changed in recent months as anti-Russian sentiment in Germany is starting to grow.
Well, our releation with India are in many ways the same as with everyone else. Which is pritty much: "Would you like to buy a VolksWagen? And maybe even some tanks?". But has been getting more important in recent years as Germany has become Indias biggest and most important trading partner within Europe as the financial volume of our trade lies at 16 billion euros. Despite being such great trading partners, German direct investment into India is unfortunatly somewhat low, as we are only numeber 8 amongst the countries with the biggest direct investment into Indias economy. Especialy agricultural products have started to show up in bigger quantity in German stores, financial services in trade between our countries are also growing aswell as many other parts of the service sector economy. German exports into India are mainly machines, chemicals, manufactured metal products, household appliances and cars.
VolksWagen recently built a car factory at the price of 580 million in the Indian city of Pune to be fully functional within the year 2014. Our car indutry had previously expanded into China with 2 factories there and with the rising Indian middle class that is hungry for cars, I hope that VW will not only bring jobs to India, but that Indians will help us in cementing German dominace over the global automobile industry. Since German industry likes to outsource production into the ereas where exports are very succesfull, I think companies like Bosch will very likely also open factories in India in the near future.
It is generaly accepted by most German politicians that the sole best way to ensure peace and good releations is to help create a succefull economy with a prosperous middle class abroad. But with India we are also engaged in other ways. Since 2013 we have a bilateral agreement on furthering scientific research between our nations and to cooperate in fighting terrorism. There are various scientific institutions in India with Germany funding and German researchers working together with Indian funding and Indian researchers. I have witnessed myself that many Indian students come to our universities and colleges to work on degrees in engeneering, biology and chemistry. We are also one of the first countries who stopped condeming Indias nuclear capacity and are currently enaged with your nuclear institutions in working on scientific advances on nuclear technology. Energy is in fact the main point of cooperation between the scientific communities of both our countries. Our cooperation in science and education has become so well that India is now the 2nd most important partner of Germany in scientific research after the USA.
Our releations with Pakistan has been pritty bad in recent years. The obvious sheltering of the Taliban, the murder of German healthworkers and journalists, the hiding of Bin Laden, the usual "kill all jews" nonsence that comes from most islamic countries, the massive misuse of Western aid money to produce nuclear weapons aswell as it`s chaotic state. Who is actualy in charge there? The army? The government? The intelligence services? What is the point of negotiating with a country when you dont even know with whom to negotiate with? And who would open a buisness in a place like that? Worst of all is probably the blatant and criminal shelter that pakistani officials gave to the people who organised and planned the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, aswell as the fact that Pakistan is unappologetic and to some extent even trying to justify actions like that attack whilest still sending terror groups into India. A country that engages in such conduct should be treated like North Korea by the international community and I think it would have been if Nato wouldnt had to rely on supply routes through Pakistan into Afghanistan. I hope that after the war in Afghanistan is over, that this stain of terror and stabbing partners in the back will remain on Pakistan for years to come and that the international community will put the persure on this country that it deserves for it`s violations. It is with quite a bit of irony how this country was founded as a safe heaven for muslims in that region, but muslims in that region are now safer and with more liberties in India. India is proberly the only properly functioning democracy in that region.