Photo Credit: Ms. Anandi Iyer/Director, Fraunhofer Office India
In a significant move to strengthen economic and innovation ties with India, the city of Berlin has opened its first overseas business office in the country, located in Bengaluru — India’s leading technology and startup hub.
The newly launched “Berlin Business Office India” marks Berlin’s third such international outpost after New York and Beijing, underlining the growing importance of India in Germany’s global engagement strategy.
The office is designed to serve as a central interface for Berlin-based companies and startups seeking to enter the Indian market, while also supporting Indian firms looking to establish a presence in the German capital.
Focus on innovation, startups, and talent mobility
Bengaluru — often referred to as India’s “Silicon Valley” — was strategically chosen for the office due to its strong innovation ecosystem, which includes around 25,000 IT companies and a growing presence in sectors such as biotechnology, aerospace, and digital technologies.
The initiative is expected to facilitate deeper collaboration in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation, and life sciences, while also enabling startup exchange and market access for businesses on both sides.
Importantly, the Bengaluru office will also focus on talent partnerships, including attracting skilled professionals to Berlin and promoting cooperation on fair and sustainable recruitment practices.
Part of Berlin’s broader internationalisation strategy
The launch of the office forms part of Berlin’s long-term internationalisation strategy, which places a clear emphasis on India as a key economic and innovation partner.
Berlin’s Senator for Economic Affairs, Franziska Giffey, who led a business delegation to Bengaluru for the inauguration, highlighted the broader significance of the move.
“Today we are opening more than just an office — we are opening new doors between Berlin and India,” Giffey said, underlining India’s growing importance as a global innovation hub.
She further noted that India’s strengths in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and digitalisation, combined with its position as the world’s fifth-largest economy, make it a critical partner for Berlin’s global economic outreach.
Strengthening Berlin–Karnataka partnership
The establishment of the Bengaluru office builds on an earlier agreement on economic cooperation signed between the State of Berlin and the Government of Karnataka during a visit in July 2025.
Supported by the German-Indian Chamber of Commerce and the Karnataka government, the office is expected to deepen institutional and business linkages between the two regions.
Officials noted that the initiative will provide on-ground support, networking opportunities, and market insights for companies, while also fostering long-term collaboration across innovation-driven sectors.
A strategic step in Indo-German economic engagement
The opening of Berlin’s business office in Bengaluru reflects a broader trend of deepening India–Germany economic cooperation, particularly in high-tech and future-oriented industries.
With direct access to one of Asia’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems, Berlin aims to strengthen its position as a global hub for startups, investment, and skilled talent — while positioning India as a key partner in that journey.
