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BERLIN: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday that his coalition has a “stable foundation” and has achieved a lot in its first 10 weeks, but acknowledged that “occasional setbacks” are a risk in government as his administration struggles with its first major dispute.

Merz took office on May 6, leading a coalition of his conservative Union bloc with the center-left Social Democrats that has a relatively thin parliamentary majority. He vowed to strengthen Europe’s biggest economy after years of stagnation, enable Germany to build Europe’s strongest conventional army and keep the US on board with aid to Ukraine.

The government has launched a program to encourage investment, set in motion plans to raise defense spending and implemented a tougher approach to migration. Merz has taken a prominent role in diplomacy on Ukraine and other issues.

Merz said at the German leader’s annual summer news conference that he is “very satisfied with what we have achieved in the first 10 weeks.”

Merz set out to avoid the infighting that plagued ex-Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition, which collapsed in November. However, the new government’s record has been overshadowed over the past week by parliament’s failure to elect three new justices for Germany’s highest court.

Nominations have in the past mostly been approved uneventfully. But planned votes last Friday were scrapped at the last minute after some lawmakers in Merz’s bloc balked at a candidate put forward by the Social Democrats.

Opponents of the nominee, law professor Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, have cited her perceived liberal views on issues such as abortion. Leading Social Democrats have been irked by the conservatives’ failure to follow through on an agreement on the new justices and have stood by their candidate.

Merz has downplayed the argument and insisted Friday that “there is no time pressure” to rush to a solution. And he rejected a suggestion that his coalition is on wobbly ground, with the court nominee flap following its bumpy start when lawmakers needed an unprecedented two rounds of voting to elect Merz as chancellor in May.

“This government stands on a stable foundation, on a stable majority in the German parliament,” Merz said. “But you see from these two votes that we are living in very uncertain times, also regarding supposed certainties in the German parliament.”

He said that “we know what job we have, and high points and successes are part of that as well as occasional setbacks.”

Recent polls have suggested that Merz’s coalition has work to do to convince voters. Ratings for the Union and Social Democrats haven’t picked up from their lackluster showing in Germany’s February election. Surveys show the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany solidifying its strong second place.

NEW DELHI: India is eyeing closer collaboration with ����ֱ�� in the pharmaceuticals and ceramics industries, following talks between Indian trade minister Piyush Goyal and his Saudi counterparts earlier this week.

Goyal held separate virtual meetings with ����ֱ��’s Economy and Planning Minister Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim and Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih to discuss ways to strengthen trade and investment ties between the two countries.

His meeting with Al-Ibrahim was focused “on enhancing our trade & investment partnership and collaborating in key sectors” such as pharmaceuticals, petroleum and ceramics, while his discussion with Al-Falih was centered on mutual growth, innovation and long-term collaboration, Goyal wrote on X.

“We are confident of exciting growth prospects ahead for both nations,” he said.

In 2023-24, Saudi-India trade reached nearly $43 billion, making India ����ֱ��’s second-largest trading partner, while the Kingdom stands as New Delhi’s fifth-largest.

Bilateral energy trade alone was worth $25.7 billion in 2023-24, with ����ֱ�� being the third-largest source of India’s LPG, crude and petroleum imports.

In 2023, India’s investment in the Kingdom reached $4 billion, showcasing an increase of 39 percent from 2022, when it stood at about $2.39 billion.

����ֱ�� and India have been in talks to deepen their strategic partnership. When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jeddah in April, “both sides reaffirmed the strong commitment to advance economic and investment partnership,” Indian ambassador to ����ֱ��, Suhel Ajaz Khan, told Arab News on Friday.

India’s pharmaceuticals and ceramics sector, in particular, had potential to support ����ֱ��’s Vision 2030 transformation project, he added.

With India being the world’s third-largest producer of drugs by volume after the US and China and supplying more than 20 percent of global demand on generic drugs, Delhi is keen to open up new collaborations in the pharmaceutical industry with ����ֱ��.

“With annual pharmaceutical exports exceeding $30 billion, Indian pharmaceutical companies play a vital role in ensuring affordable and reliable health care across the globe. The Kingdom of ����ֱ�� currently accounts for only about $200 million of India’s pharmaceutical exports — a relatively small share that underscores significant untapped potential,” Khan said.

“As KSA pursues the goals of Vision 2030, which include building domestic manufacturing capacity, fostering knowledge-based industries and ensuring health care security, the Indian pharmaceutical sector stands out as a natural strategic partner.”

The Indian government is also seeking to take advantage of its edge in the ceramics industry, as India is the second-largest producer of ceramics globally and the largest exporter of ceramic tiles.

“Indian ceramics are widely recognized for their quality, cost-efficiency and manufacturing scale, particularly in segments such as tiles, sanitaryware and refractories,” Khan said.

“Given the Kingdom of ����ֱ��’s growing infrastructure, construction and industrial development needs under Vision 2030, deeper cooperation with India’s ceramic sector holds significant potential.”