Report and photograph by Monaz Desai-Tantzscher/TheDialog
A high-powered Indo-German business event held in Munich on June 5 showcased India’s growing appeal as a global investment hub, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. Titled “India on the Big Screen – Business, Investment and Innovation,” the session attracted around 50 key stakeholders from Bavaria’s business ecosystem, reaffirming India’s rise as a preferred destination for innovation-driven partnerships.
Organised under the “Make in India Mittelstand!” initiative, the event brought together industry experts, government officials, and business leaders to explore concrete Indo-German collaboration opportunities, particularly in manufacturing, legal services, smart cities, and technology sectors.
India Positioned as a Rising Global Power
Opening the event, Shri Shatrughna Sinha, Consul General of India in Munich, delivered a comprehensive address on India’s demographic dividend, economic resilience, and strategic geopolitical location. He highlighted how these factors are helping India transform into a major global player. “India today stands at a confluence of youth energy, economic momentum and digital transformation,” he noted, encouraging German companies to explore India not just as a market, but as a long-term innovation partner.
Indo-Bavarian Trade Relations in Focus
Mr. Christoph Angerbauer, Head of International, Industry, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship and Member of the Executive Board at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) for Munich and Upper Bavaria, offered a deep dive into the Indo-German trade narrative. He pointed to the growing appetite among German SMEs for engaging with India’s robust supply chains and emerging tech ecosystems. He also underlined the mutual benefits that Bavaria and Indian states could achieve through sustained industrial cooperation.
Legal and Regulatory Insights for German Investors
Mr. Vaibhav Sharma and Mr. Magnus Graf Bülow of Rödl & Partner unpacked India’s legal frameworks for foreign investors, clarifying tax structures, business entry models, and compliance requirements. Their presentation aimed to demystify India’s evolving regulatory landscape, which has often been perceived as complex by overseas investors.
NICDC’s Smart Cities Offer Strategic Opportunities
One of the event’s highlights was the address by Shri Rajat Kumar Saini, CEO & MD of the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC). He presented India’s smart cities initiative as a unique gateway for German companies to participate in large-scale, digitally enabled infrastructure development. Mr. Saini shared key statistics and investment models, noting, “NICDC is not just building infrastructure; it’s creating ecosystems of innovation, logistics, and connectivity that global firms can plug into.”
Tech Mahindra Shares On-Ground Experience
Vinay Prakash, Business Head at Tech Mahindra, shared the company’s journey in India, offering first-hand insights into operational dynamics, workforce management, and digital transformation across Indian industries. His experience served as a practical playbook for German firms considering long-term ventures in India.
Invest India Reaches Out to German SMEs
Wrapping up the formal presentations, Mr. Vikrant Khazanchi, Sr. Assistant Vice President at Invest India, spoke on the wide array of opportunities that exist for German Mittelstand firms in India—from manufacturing and electronics to renewable energy and automotive sectors. He encouraged participants to visit India and experience its fast-evolving business climate. “We are not just offering investment destinations, but enabling business journeys,” he said.
Event Concludes with Business Networking Lunch
Moderated by Ms. Monaz Desai-Tantzscher from Rödl & Partner, the event concluded with a networking lunch, where participants discussed potential collaborations, investment entry points, and follow-up delegation visits to India.
India’s Growing Pull on the German Business Radar
This Munich event marked the second such session under the 2025 “Make in India Mittelstand!” series, reinforcing the momentum in Indo-German economic ties. With India emerging as a reliable partner for resilient supply chains and innovation-led growth, German SMEs appear increasingly ready to deepen their footprint in the Indian market.
