Germany is interested in importing green hydrogen from India and expanding cooperation in renewable energy, as Berlin looks to diversify its energy supplies and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, German Chargé d’Affaires in India Georg Enzweiler said.
“India has the resources to produce green hydrogen which we could buy to cover our energy needs back home and not be dependent on procuring fossil fuels,” Enzweiler told The Hindu on the sidelines of the 11th edition of the ‘Young Voices for Sustainable Development’ summit.
He said India had strong potential to produce renewable energy from solar and wind resources and offered an innovative business environment. Germany, he added, could contribute its technological and industrial expertise to expand cooperation in the renewable energy sector.
Enzweiler said exporting renewable energy from India could also create a commercially attractive opportunity for Indian producers.
“India can export the energy produced for which it could get good Euros. That could make it an attractive business model as well,” he said.
On India’s efforts to build greater domestic capability in clean energy technologies, Enzweiler said German technology could eventually be localised in India. He said the proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) could further strengthen cooperation in energy and other sectors.
“We expect a big push on energy and renewables but also on the wider economy for both Europe and India with the FTA,” he said.
India and the EU concluded negotiations on the FTA in January, with the agreement expected to eliminate tariffs on 99.5% of goods exported by India once it comes into force. Enzweiler said Germany hoped the agreement would become effective in early 2027.
He identified automobiles, machinery and chemicals among the key sectors of interest for German businesses. He also highlighted opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, saying lower tariffs would make it easier for them to operate across both markets.
The agreement could also create greater opportunities for Indian companies to invest, trade and expand exports to Europe, he said.
On concerns over the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), Enzweiler said the transition period and proposed financial support of €500 million for India’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could help address some of the challenges.
He said discussions were continuing on the impact of CBAM on Indian companies and expressed confidence that the issue was progressing towards a workable solution.
