BERLIN, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Germany and India aim to increase annual trade volumes between the two countries to 20 billion euros by 2012, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday.
Speaking at a joint news conference after meeting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Berlin, Merkel said: 'We have set ambitious goals, for example to raise trade volumes to 20 billion euros by 2012. We'll have to work hard in 2011 and 2012, but India has a growing economy.'
Germany's BDI industry association says Germany exported about 8 billion euros worth of goods to India in 2009, for a total trade volume of 13 billion euros.
Singh said he was confident Europe would not be harmed by the debt crisis.
'The economic stability of Europe is important for the global economy ... whatever problems face the euro zone, it will emerge unscathed,' he said. 'It is in the world's interest that the euro zone should prosper.'
(Reporting by Brian Rohan; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Keywords: GERMANY INDIA/TRADE (brian.rohan@reuters.com; +49 30 2888 5223; Reuters Messaging: brian.rohan.reuters.com@reuters.net ) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Speaking at a joint news conference after meeting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Berlin, Merkel said: 'We have set ambitious goals, for example to raise trade volumes to 20 billion euros by 2012. We'll have to work hard in 2011 and 2012, but India has a growing economy.'
Germany's BDI industry association says Germany exported about 8 billion euros worth of goods to India in 2009, for a total trade volume of 13 billion euros.
Singh said he was confident Europe would not be harmed by the debt crisis.
'The economic stability of Europe is important for the global economy ... whatever problems face the euro zone, it will emerge unscathed,' he said. 'It is in the world's interest that the euro zone should prosper.'
(Reporting by Brian Rohan; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Keywords: GERMANY INDIA/TRADE (brian.rohan@reuters.com; +49 30 2888 5223; Reuters Messaging: brian.rohan.reuters.com@reuters.net ) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.