India can help fulfil Germany's need for skilled workers: German Foreign Minister
New Delhi (PTI): Young educated Indians are striving to enter the labour market, while in Germany, there is a "great need" of skilled workers, and it can be turned into a 'win-win-win' situation for both the countries and youths, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Friday.
Baerbock made the remarks while meeting German learners at the Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan in here earlier in the day.
She is currently in India as part of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-day official visit to India that began on Thursday.
The German foreign minister attended the 7th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) on Friday.
Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Hubertus Heil also visited the global cultural institute of Germany, the institute said in a statement.
The ministers held an exchange with the group to hear about their motivations and future plans, and responded to concerns of mutual interest.
In their statements, they emphasised Germany's commitment to "welcoming talented Indians" into the German workforce across sectors.
"India is an economic heavyweight with breathtaking dynamism - with many young, well-educated people striving to enter the labour market," Baerbock was quoted as saying in the statement.
"In Germany, on the other hand, we are in great need of skilled workers. We can turn this into a win-win-win situation, for India, for Germany, but above all for the young people striving to work in Germany. We took the first steps towards this two years ago with the partnership and mobility agreement. And now we have also simplified visa procedures," she said in her address.
A joint statement was issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Scholz co-chaired the seventh round of the IGC meeting.
"As bilateral cooperation on skilled migration expands across multiple fronts, involving collaboration between federal and state governments, as well as private sector stakeholders, both sides committed to full implementation of the provisions of the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA)," it said.
In line with the commitments outlined in the MMPA both sides remain dedicated to promoting fair and legal labour migration, the statement said.
"This approach is guided by international standards that ensure migrant workers are treated with dignity and respect, including fair recruitment practices, transparent visa processes, and the protection of workers' rights," it said.
The approach can safeguard against exploitation and ensure compliance with international labour standards, it added.
With the MMPA, both sides also agreed to address irregular migration.
Minister Heil also interacted with Indian students at a partner school of the Goethe-Institut, who are striving to go for vocational training in Germany.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
