Key engagement
Australia and Germany work closely to advance bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation.
Cooperation between Australia and Germany is underpinned by shared values and commitment to the international rules-based order. An Enhanced Strategic Partnership, signed in 2021, provides a foundation for strategic cooperation in the Indo Pacific, stronger economic cooperation, and joint support for the multilateral system and its institutions. Australia and Germany are currently undertaking a review of the Enhanced Strategic Partnership.
Germany's Indo-Pacific Policy Guidelines underpin its growing engagement in our region. As part of this engagement, Germany has increased its involvement in Indo-Pacific military exercises. German frigate and a supply ship (FGS Baden-Wuerttemberg and FGS Frankfurt am-Main) deployed to the Indo Pacific in 2024, including a Taiwan Strait transit. Germany participated in ADF Exercises Pitch Black and Kakadu in 2022 and 2024 as well as Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2023 and 2025.
Australia and Germany cooperate closely across a range of initiatives for climate action and the clean energy transition.
Bilateral relations
Australia and Germany have a warm, vibrant and diverse bilateral relationship. Germany is a close and strategic partner for Australia with a common strategic outlook, shared values and a commitment to the rules-based international order, including in the Indo-Pacific. We work together to support multilateralism, human rights, trade liberalisation, and shared defence and security objectives. We work closely in multilateral forums, including the UN and G20.
Foreign policy
Germany contributes actively to international peace and prosperity. Germany is the EU's largest economy and largest contributor to the EU budget. Germany is a strong supporter of multilateralism and is expected to become the largest global bilateral aid donor from 2025. It is a leader in responding to challenges on energy security, climate change, nuclear non‑proliferation and counterterrorism. NATO is a central pillar of German defence and security policy.
Fast Facts
German visitors to Australia (2025)
150,994
Australian resident returns from Germany (2025)
15,873
Resident Australian population born in Germany (2021 census)
101,255
Australian residents of German descent (2021 census)
1,026,138
German working holidaymakers (June 2025)
19,661
German students in Australia (2025)
1,763
High level engagement
- September 2025 – Minister Wong met Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Dr Johann Wadephul at the Eight Country Europe and Indo-Pacific Ministerial Meeting (Australia, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom) on the sidelines of UN General Assembly in New York.
- September 2025 – Minister Pat Conroy, and Assistant Ministers Matt Thistlethwaite, Anthony Chisholm and Josh Wilson met with Mr Stefan Rouenhoff Parliamentary State Secretary to the German Federal Ministery for Economic Affairs and Energy when he visited Canberra.
- July 2025 – Minister Aly met Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Reem Alabali-Radovan at the International Conference for Financing for Development.
- July 2025 – Treasurer Jim Chalmers met with German Finance Minister Lars Kingbeil at the G20 meeting.
- June 2025 – Minister for Environment and Water Murray Watt met with Minister Carsten Schneider at the UN Oceans Conference.
- June 2025 – Minister Farrell met with the German Minister for Economy and Energy, Katherina Reiche, at the OECD Council Meeting.
- May 2025 – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the G7 in Canada.
Agreements with Germany
Australia has numerous bilateral agreements with Germany, including on social security, double taxation, trade and cultural cooperation.
Texts of bilateral agreements are available at the Australian Treaties Database.
Public diplomacy
The Australian Embassy in Berlin promotes bilateral trade and investment as well as Australia's Indo-Pacific perspectives, and arts and culture – including our rich First Nations history and culture – through in-person events and digital diplomacy.
A significant number of Australian artists are based in, or visit, Germany, showcasing expertise in music, performing and visual arts, literature and arts management. The cultural diversity of both countries supports a long history of exchange in culture, arts and sport. The Australian Embassy in Berlin promotes numerous festivals and events in Germany that showcase Australian art and culture, including the annual Down Under Film Festival.
Germany is a large source of student enrolments in Australia. Postgraduate studies provide Australian institutions with the greatest opportunities to enter the German market, particularly in the areas of Information Technology, International Law, and International Business and Technology.
Economic diplomacy
Australia's economic relationship with Germany is substantial. Germany has the third largest economy in the world and is a significant European relationship for Australia across the breadth of our economic, technology, industry and defence interests. Germany is Australia's 13th largest trade partner, with two-way trade totalling between Australia and Germany was valued at approximately $29 million in 2024.
Germany is Australia's sixth largest source of imports, comprising mostly transport services, cars and medical goods.
Australian investment (stock) in Germany totalled $64.7 billion in 2024, ranking Australia as Germany’s 11th largest investor. German investment (stock) in Australia was valued at $89.8 billion, ranking Germany as Australia’s ninth largest investor in 2024.
German investment spans automotive and manufacturing, information and communications technology, agri-food, pharmaceuticals, defence, energy and health.
With 450,700 researchers in full-time employment, Germany has one of the highest levels of permanent research capacity in the world, behind only China, the United States and Japan. Australia-Germany research collaboration is strong. Germany currently ranks third globally in terms of the number of research collaborations with Australian Research Council-funded researchers, with 604 projects funded for 2023 worth $277.3 million.
Cooperation on climate action, renewable energy and critical minerals is an important pillar of the bilateral economic relationship. Australia and Germany will be key trading partners in the green transition with strong economic complementarity and opportunities to collaborate closely in renewable energy, hydrogen, green metals and critical minerals supply chains.
Our Hydrogen Accord (2021), was the first agreement of its kind by the German government. It includes a joint HyGATE Initiative, intended to support real-world pilot, trial and demonstration projects along the hydrogen supply chain. The Accord also seeks to advance industry-to-industry cooperation and strengthen global trade for renewable hydrogen, building on Germany's H2Global scheme, a mechanism that will support the international market ramp up of green hydrogen exports to Germany.
Following agreement in January 2023 between Minister Bowen and Vice-Chancellor Habeck, Australia and Germany expanded their existing Energy Partnership to an Energy and Climate Partnership. This partnership was signed on 13 September 2024 by Minister Bowen and German State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Anja Hajduk.
More economic and trade information [PDF 172 KB]
There is a vibrant trade and business relationship between Germany and Australia with opportunities for increased trade and investment.
Business
There are approximately 600 German companies employing more than 60,000 people in Australia. Some of the major German companies in Australia include Siemens, Bosch, Fuchs, Carl Zeiss (Advanced manufacturing); SAP Research, Software AG (ICT); Evonik, Fresenius Medical Care (Pharmaceuticals); DB Schenker, DHL, Deutsche Bahn, (Logistics, transport and mobility); Allianz, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, (Banking/insurance); BayWa, Enercon, Innogy, RWE, Senvion (Clean energy); Heidelberg Cement/Hanson Australia, BOC/Linde (Materials); Remondis (Waste Management & Water); BASF, Bayer, CSB Engineering, Dr Oetker, Kaufland, Nordzucker (Food and agriculture); and Luerssen, Rheinmetall, ThyssenKrupp (Defence).
Over 160 Australian companies employing around 17,000 people have a presence in Germany, including Macquarie (Infrastructure); IFM, ANZ (Finance); Transfield (Energy); Adina Apartments (Tourism); CSL Behring, Cochlear, Resmed, SDI, Sonic Healthcare, Grey Innovation (Medical devices); Nufarm (Food and agriculture); Goodman (Logistics); Cohda Wireless, Computershare, Telstra (Digital technologies); Flame Productions, Greencorp Magnetics (Media); and Amcor (Packaging).
More information on Austrade and doing business in Germany.