Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently took German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck to task over the bottlenecks caused by a German company in supplying key infrastructure equipment to India. Notably, India has been buying tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) from a German company named Herrenknecht which manufactures the equipment in China. However, China has been blocking the sale of these machines to India, thus impacting the fast development of vital infrastructure projects in the country.
In an embarrassing moment to the German Vice Chancellor, Minister Goyal advised the Indian side “not to buy German equipment” if such problems persist. Strikingly, Minister Goyal confronted Habeck when the duo took a ride on the Delhi Metro to reach the YashoBhoomi Convention Centre in Dwarka, Delhi.
An X handle named Lord Bebo shared the video of their interaction which has now gone viral on social media.
German Vice Chancellor Habeck is also the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs of Germany. He is on a visit to India to take part in the 7th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations.
German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck got schooled by Piyush Goyal in Delhi Metro….😭😭😭
Absolutely Vishwaguru moment 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8ih9m5zY6l
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) October 27, 2024
What transpired during the Delhi Metro ride
During the metro ride, Minister Goyal told Habeck that India is buying Tunnel Boring Machines from a German company named Herrenknecht. The company manufactures the machines in China but the latter is now blocking the sale of the TBMs to India which has adversely impacted the development of key infrastructure projects in India.
In the viral video, the Commerce Minister could be heard saying, “See your German company is supplying us (with) some tunnel boring machines which they make in China. But China is not allowing them to sell them to me”.
Displaying ignorance over the issue, Habeck asked, “They are producing in China?”.
In a quick retort, Goyal advised the Indian contingent saying, “We should stop buying German equipment now.”
In reply, Habeck said, “I think I should listen to you.”
Nonetheless, India has been using Herrenknecht-manufactured tunnel-boring machines that are used in several infrastructure projects like the metro projects of Delhi, Bangalore Chennai, and Kolkata, as well as the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project.