Angela Merkel Lauds Manmohan Singh's Economic Legacy at Memorial Lecture

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the economic reforms of late ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which propelled India's growth for 30 years. She celebrated the India-EU free trade agreement and highlighted India's demographic advantage. She emphasized cultural ties with Germany but chose not to discuss politics.

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has praised the sweeping economic reforms initiated by the late former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which she credited for setting India on a prolonged path of economic growth.

Speaking at the Dr. Manmohan Singh Memorial Lecture, Merkel emphasized the impressive over 5 percent growth rate India has sustained in recent years. She also highlighted the recent free trade agreement between India and the European Union, noting her partial contribution to its realization.

Merkel emphasized India's demographic advantage, given its youthful population, as a key driver for future prosperity. She refrained from delving into political matters, focusing instead on the shared cultural history between India and Germany, and the pivotal economic reforms led by Singh in the 1990s that opened up India's markets to the world.

(With inputs from agencies.)