New Delhi: When the itinerary for German Chancellor Angela Merkel was made public, the last stop on the tour caught a few eyes.
After a flurry of meetings with the Indian government as well as the German business community here, Merkel is scheduled to stop by at the Dwarka Sector 21 Metro Station around 11:20am on Saturday for a brief duration, before making her way to the airport for her flight back to Germany.
The reason this particular metro station has been chosen for the chancellor’s visit is because of its German connection. The solar panels on the terrace of the metro station that power it have been funded by the German government.
Christian Winkler, spokesperson for the German Embassy in New Delhi, told News18, "Germany is committed to the use of renewable energy. In that context, the German development bank Kfw provided funds for the setting up of the photovoltaic project on top of the metro station."
Merkel will review the project and may consider more joint renewable energy projects with the Indian government. "We have also arranged for a demonstration of the e-rickshaw system for the chancellor. She will see how these battery-operated vehicles function," added Winkler.
This, sources said, reflects the willingness of both sides to learn from each other in the fight against climate change. "Earlier, the West used to see India as a naysayer. That image has now changed and we are a part of the solution. In 2015, we formed the International Solar Alliance and Europe has emerged as a major partner in that fight,” said a source.
A part of the India-Germany joint statement addressed both countries' willingness to work to prevent climate change.
It read, "The two leaders acknowledged their joint responsibility for the protection of the planet and mitigating climate change through enhanced promotion of renewable energy and increasing energy efficiency by reducing their carbon footprint. For both countries, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement serve as guiding frameworks in their cooperation. They underlined that for a successful energy and transport transition in India and in Germany both countries need to closely cooperate, to learn from each other and to capitalise on the economic potential of climate protection."
Merkel on Saturday will meet business community members and also visit a German company's facility in Manesar near Gurugram.
Merkel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday co-chaired the fifth round of Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC). The chancellor was accompanied by the German ministers of foreign affairs, science and education, food and agriculture and an official delegation.
A business delegation, comprising leaders of German companies, has also accompanied the chancellor to India. Merkel has already held meetings with Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind.
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