Germany may be a contender for the Indian Navy's proposal to buy six conventional submarines in a deal estimated to be about USD 5.2 billion

Prior to his arrival in New Delhi on a visit intended to strengthen security ties, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated on Monday that Germany does not want India to continue relying on Russian armaments.

Since taking office as the defence minister in January, Pistorius is on his first trip to Asia. He spoke with his Indonesian colleague Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Monday after taking part in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Sunday. On Tuesday, Pistorius is expected to speak with Rajnath Singh, his Indian counterpart.

In response to a question on whether Germany will increase military sales to India in order to reduce that nation's reliance on Russian arms, Pistorius said: "It is not up to Germany to do that on our own. We must work with other partners to find a solution to this problem."

I want to send a message that we are willing to support our dependable allies like Indonesia and India when I come to India with the help of leaders of German military sector businesses. And it includes, for instance, the potential for transporting submarines, he added.

Germany may be a contender for the Indian Navy's proposal to buy six conventional submarines in a deal estimated to be about USD 5.2 billion, according to reports. Since France's Naval Group abandoned the project a year ago, Germany's chances have increased.

Germany and India's last significant defence contract was for four HDW Type 209 submarines in 1981. Germany has started to relax its tight export restrictions on weapons in a significant defence stance change in response to the Ukraine crisis.