"Last Year Was Good": German Envoy Hails Ties With India

During the German National Day celebrations in Delhi on Thursday, the Ambassador of Germany to India, Philipp Ackermann, said that the previous year was "very good for the ties between the two countries."

Flaunting his Hindi speaking skills at the event, Mr Ackermann said, "Pichla saal Bharat aur Germany ke sambandho ke liye accha raha, mujhe yakeen hai aane wala saal aur bhi accha hoga. Today, we are celebrating 33 years of German Unity...(last year was good for India-Germany ties, I am sure the coming year will be even more amazing)."

He said that as Germany celebrates 33 years of its Unity (German Unity Day is the national day of Germany), there is no need for a long speech on the occasion.

The celebrations took place with full fervour as people danced to the tunes of energetic music.

At the same event, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi also hailed the tie between India and Germany.

She said, "We (India and Germany) are working very very closely. Like the previous premier of Germany to the latest premier of Germany who visited India in 2022 and 2023 during the G20 Summit, share a very close proximal relationship with PM Modi."

"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and PM Modi have signed several cooperations and agreements together. Being the fourth and the fifth largest economies, we are working together...," the minister added.

In May this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reviewed the progress in bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional developments and global challenges.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 49th summit of the Group of Seven (G7) in the Japanese city of Hiroshima in May recently.

During the meeting, PM Modi welcomed Germany's support for the India-EU trade and investment agreements, and for India's G20 Presidency. Later, during the G20 Summit that took place in India in the month of September this year, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, too visited India.

India, and Germany connection do not just end there. In an episode of his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September, appreciated Germany's Cassandra Mae Spittmann for her passion for Indian music and culture.

In his address to the nation, PM Modi said, "Indian culture and Indian music are now global. More and more people worldwide are getting attracted to them."

The Prime Minister played an Indian song sung by Cassandra Mae.

"Such a melodious voice...and every word reflects emotions. We can also feel her attachment to God. You would be surprised to know that this voice is of a daughter from Germany. Her name is CassMae. 21-year-old Cassmae on Instagram is quite famous these days. German national Cassmae has never visited India. But, she is extremely fond of Indian music," PM Modi said after the song presentation.

Calling the German singer's passion "inspiring," the Prime Minister further added, "Such interest of someone who has never visited India, is inspiring. Cassmae is visually impaired since birth. But this challenge could not stop her from achieving this extraordinary...her passion for music and creativity was such that she started singing in childhood itself."

PM Modi said that Cassandra does not only sing in Hindi but in various other Indian languages as well.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)