India and Germany’s new defence road map could give New Delhi fresh momentum in its long-running push to modernise its undersea fleet, while helping Europe expand its security role in the Indo-Pacific, experts say.

The two countries signed a Defence Industrial Cooperation Road Map in Berlin on Wednesday, with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, agreeing to deepen collaboration in development, production and niche technologies.

The agreement was reached during Singh’s three-day visit to Germany, which aimed to give fresh momentum to the bilateral strategic partnership.

But the most closely watched element of the visit was a planned US$8 billion submarine cooperation agreement, which Pistorius said Germany expected to finalise soon.

“I am very, very confident that we will be able to sign the agreement soon, especially today following the talks with His Excellency Singh and his delegation,” Pistorius told reporters after both ministers visited a Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) facility.

TKMS is set to partner with Indian state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to manufacture the submarines.