German President Visits India

"We shouldn't believe that we in the West have a monopoly on wisdom," said German President Horst Köhler when he visited the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in New Delhi. India's freedom fighter was assassinated 62 years ago by a Hindu extremist. Köhler and his wife Eva Luise visited the memorial and scattered flowers over the decorated black marble plate. Before that, Köhler was received with military honors by India's President Pratibha Patil.

India a 'rising star in global politics'

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and several ministers also attended the ceremony. Köhler told journalists afterwards that he had come to pay his respects to India, a rising star in global politics. He expected the Indo-German ties to develop further:

"For us, India is a strategic partner, but besides that, also a friend," Köhler emphasized. "And we believe that this friendship and strategic partnership can be deepened on both sides, Germany and in particular also India. This will benefit both countries, particularly their economy. With more investments, we'll contribute to eradicating poverty here in India."

World economy needs 'more justice'

Developing economic ties between Germany and India is at the top of Köhler's agenda for his seven-day visit to the subcontinent. Globalization meant more chances for growth and prosperity, Köhler told representatives of Indian business associations and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce. But he also warned that there needed to be more justice, otherwise more and more people would feel excluded from this prosperity.

"What we need at the global level are considerably better rules for more justice," Köhler said. “We really need global governance which takes into account that the fate of all countries, big or small, has become more and more interrelated. Common solutions will only be accepted if everyone sees them as fair."

Köhler explicitly praised the Indian model: "With its concept of 'unity in diversity', India should be ideally prepared for the cultural whirlwind of globalization. How this largest democracy in the world has managed under at times highly difficult circumstances to unite more than a billion people of different backgrounds, language and religion in one country, is unique in this world."

After New Delhi, Köhler will visit India's economic powerhouse, Mumbai, the automobile city of Pune and rural areas. On Sunday he will travel on to South Korea.

Author: Bettina Marx / Thomas Bärthlein
Editor: Grahame Lucas