India and Germany will endeavor to double their bilateral trade amid major and profound shifts in the global strategic landscape. S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister (EAM), stated on Wednesday that they all wanted the discussions for the free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the EU to come to a definitive end as soon as possible.

Following their discussions in New Delhi on Wednesday, EAM Jaishankar and his German colleague Johann Wadephul told reporters that the relationship between Germany and India is still “very steady” and that its importance and weight are increasing. Johann Wadephul, his German colleague, had expressed his confidence that “we would be doubling our trade” with India.

The EAM said, “We have important strategic relationships with a number of countries,” in response to a question about Germany’s role in India’s balancing of strategic partnerships with several countries. Furthermore, maintaining and optimizing each of these ties is a fundamental aspect of modern global politics and strategy.

Accordingly, Germany as a whole and as the largest member of the European Union are, in my opinion, crucial to the calculations and the relationships that exist in the globe. We are two nations that are also part of the G4 and are working to reform the UN and the Security Council. However, if you look at it by almost any metric, I mean whether it is political or economic, we were among the other things we didn’t get to mention here, except for what Johann said at the end of his remarks.

“This bond is really significant to us. This relationship is becoming more meaningful, and I can see that it truly has more worth during this uncertain time. This partnership is incredibly stable. It is a partnership in which the majority of our agreements and policies stay consistent and predictable. Predictability is therefore extremely valuable in today’s world politics. Therefore, I do believe that this friendship is only becoming stronger and more valuable, and that’s part of the reason we’ve spoken to each other and met so frequently over the past several months,” he said.

According to EAM Jaishankar, both countries have made good strides in mobility and education. In order to further encourage student exchanges, he said, the two countries have now agreed on free visas for brief school and college trips.

“We have witnessed positive advancements in mobility and education. I think that Indian students currently make up the majority of international students studying in Germany. During my past two trips there, I heard people from all political parties in Germany praising the role of our community. The German government’s skilled labor plan provides an excellent framework for mutual gain. To further encourage student exchanges, we have also decided to grant free visas for brief trips to schools and colleges.”

More than 200 German businesses operate in India, which is Germany’s main commercial trading partner, according to Wadephul.

He reaffirmed Berlin’s full support for concluding the free trade agreement between India and the European Union, calling India a “rising economic powerhouse” with a “special importance” on the international scene.

In 2024–2025, Germany ranked as India’s eighth-largest commercial partner. In 2023–24, it ranked as India’s 12th largest trading partner, and in 2022–23, it ranked 11th.

Germany has invested $15.11 billion in India between April 2000 and March 2025, making it the ninth-largest foreign direct investor in the country.

Delhi’s 14-year-old Madhav Gopal Kamath became the first Indian to win a major World Youth Scrabble Championship (WYSC) 2025. This victory was historic for Indian Scrabble.

Madhav, the current national champion and top-ranked Scrabble player in India, defeated 218 under-18 players from 18 nations in the 20th edition of the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association’s (WESPA) annual tournament, which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Madhav finished with an outstanding 21 wins from 24 rounds, securing the title in the penultimate round.

Twelve of India’s top young Scrabble players, seven boys and five girls, accompanied by coach and player Neeta Bhatia from Mumbai, sent a sizable delegation to WYSC as they do each year.

With 17 victories, 15-year-old Bengaluru native Suyash Manchali, who finished second in the previous year’s competition in Sri Lanka, took fifth place.

The Essar Foundation, in collaboration with Wordaholix and the Scrabble Association of India (SAI), provided support for the Indian delegation.

“Madhav’s victory is a historic milestone for Indian Scrabble and a proud moment for the entire community,” stated Harvinderjit Bhatia, President of the Scrabble Association of India. Our young players have demonstrated tremendous promise over the years, and this world championship confirms India’s rising prominence in the Scrabble world. We are grateful to the Essar Foundation for helping to establish the foundation for these accomplishments and for supporting Team India at WYSC 2025.

“Being the first Indian to win a world Scrabble title is a dream come true,” Madhav stated in response to his triumph. I hope this encourages many more young players in India to take up the game and think they can compete at the greatest level. I am thankful for the support of my teammates, coaches, and family.

Madhav won the 25th National Scrabble Championship in Mumbai earlier this year, making him the youngest national champion ever. He is currently ranked eighth in the world for all ages. This historic victory is his and India’s first worldwide Scrabble championship, following their recent close calls at the WYSC and the Asia Cup Youth Championship.

When Madhav was just six years old, he began playing Scrabble. He is now among the best players in the world thanks to his exceptional skill and creativity on the board, and he could make it into the top five before he turns 15.

It is anticipated that his WYSC triumph will significantly increase young Scrabble participation in India and encourage a new generation of players to compete in the game.

These accomplishments demonstrate the enormous potential of the competitive young Scrabble circuit in India, where the game is still becoming more and more popular as a sport.

The Scrabble Association of India thanked Black Panther for creating the team shirts, Assembly Travel for supplying backpacks, and the Essar Foundation for their collaboration.

Electronics and IT Secretary S. Krishnan stated that the Center is getting set to start the second phase of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), with nearly all of the funding for the first phase now provided.

Speaking at Semicon India 2025 in New Delhi, Krishnan stated that just “two to three straggling projects” were still pending finalization, indicating that financing for ISM 1.0 was mostly committed.

“We are in the final stages of preparing ISM 2.0, which will soon be placed in the public domain,” he stated.

The Secretary stated that almost $30 billion in fiscal support is expected to be provided by the federal and state governments to strengthen the semiconductor sector.

He highlighted the benefits of India, pointing out that the country employs more than 20% of the world’s semiconductor design engineers and produces over 1.1 million STEM graduates annually.

He also mentioned the rapid expansion of the mobile phone industry and the growing importance of chips in space and defense as justifications for foreign companies to work with India.

At the launch of “Semicon India 2025” earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the world now has faith in India and is prepared to work with it to shape the semiconductor industry’s future. He also mentioned that the government will shortly begin the next wave of reforms in the semiconductor sector.

India is expected to play a crucial role in the trillion-dollar semiconductor industry, PM Modi said, highlighting the nation’s expanding presence in the global chip market.

“Investments of $18 billion are being made in 10 semiconductor projects approved since 2021,” he stated.

“The world believes in India, the world trusts India, and the world is ready to build the semiconductor future with India,” the prime minister said, adding that although oil influenced the previous century, chips will shape the future.

The prime minister noted that India will play a significant role in the global semiconductor sector, which is now valued at $600 billion and is expected to surpass $1 trillion in the near future.

In an effort to strengthen India’s semiconductor industry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch “SEMICON India – 2025” at Yashobhoomi in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The three-day conference, which is set for September 2–4, will concentrate on building an ecosystem of semiconductors in India that is robust, resilient, and sustainable.

Sessions on the Semicon India Program’s advancement, advanced packaging and semiconductor fabrication projects, infrastructure preparedness, smart manufacturing, R&D and AI advancements, investment prospects, and state-level policy execution will be included, among other topics.

SEMICON India 2025, organized in collaboration with SEMI, the global association for the semiconductor industry, and the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will attract a record number of global stakeholders and more than 350 exhibiting companies from 33 countries and regions.

SEMICON India has so far taken place in three different cities: Bengaluru in 2022, Gandhinagar in 2023, and Greater Noida in 2024.

In order to promote cooperation and technological improvements throughout the whole supply chain, the three-day event will bring together leaders in the industry, innovators, academics, the government, and other stakeholders.

Since the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) was established in 2021, India has taken its semiconductor journey from idea to reality in just four years. The government unveiled a Rs 76,000 crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to assist this goal, of which around Rs 65,000 crore has already been committed.

India’s changing significance in the global semiconductor ecosystem is expected to be demonstrated during SEMICON India 2025.

It will offer South Asia’s largest platform for the semiconductor and electronics industries, with around 350 exhibitors, over 15,000 anticipated attendees, six country roundtables, four country pavilions, and participation from nine Indian states.

With ten authorized strategic projects on display, including High-Volume Fabs, Advanced Packaging, Compound Semiconductors, OSATs, and government funding for research and start-ups, the exhibition will showcase India’s advancements in the semiconductor industry.

The event will provide insightful information on developments and trends in important fields such fabs, advanced packaging, smart manufacturing, artificial intelligence, supply chain management, sustainability, workforce development, designs, and startups under the subject “Building the Next Semiconductor Powerhouse.”

During his discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India-China cooperation will lead to the “welfare of the entire humanity” and reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to advancing bilateral relations based on respect, trust, and sensitivity.

The two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit was the backdrop for the meeting, which aimed to deepen bilateral ties and build on recent gains in India-China relations. Threats of US tariffs are also a factor in this.

In his introductory remarks, Prime Minister Modi remarked, “Thank you for the invitation, President Xi Jinping. We had productive talks in Kazan last year, which contributed to the improvement of our relationship. A climate of peace and stability has been established following the border disengagement. Our special representatives have reached a consensus about border management. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed its journey. Additionally, direct flights between the two countries are starting up again.”

According to the prime minister, collaboration between the two countries is tied to the interests of the 2.8 billion people who live in both countries.

Additionally, this will clear the path for the well-being of all people. We are dedicated to advancing our relationship based on respect, trust, and tact,” he stated.

PM Modi thanked the Chinese president on taking over as SCO chairman. The meeting also included top government officials from both countries, including Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and NSA Ajit Doval.

The two leaders’ most recent meeting was held in 2024 in Kazan, Russia, during the BRICS Summit.

A four-year border conflict was essentially eased when both sides agreed on patrolling procedures along the 3,500-kilometer Line of Actual Control (LAC), which paved the way for the breakthrough in negotiations.

The border disputes between the two countries were also discussed in the meetings between PM Modi and Xi Jinping.

Experts say the two leaders’ meeting in Tianjin is “symbolic” and important for bolstering bilateral relations and acting as a powerful deterrent to US tariffs.