Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad invited the German electronic industry to invest in India during his week-long visit to Germany leading a high level delegation. The delegation visited Frankfurt on 18-19 September, 2014 after having Roundtable meetings and Road shows in Munich, Dresden and Berlin.

Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- und Elektronikindustrie (ZVEI), the apex Association of Electronics in Germany and headquartered in Frankfurt, organized a reception for the Hon’ble Minister and the delegation on 18thZVEI management representatives, representatives of leading German electronics industry viz. Siemens AG, Merck KgaA, ABB AG and Managing Director, Trade and Investment Agency, State of Hesse. Dr. Patricia Solaro, senior ZVEI Board Member, welcomed India’s participation as Partner Country at Hannover Fair 2015 and assured cooperation of German electronics industry to the Indian electronics industry at the upcoming Hannover Fair 2015, commended the new manufacturing policy initiatives of the new Government of India in ESDM sector and assured the delegation to create awareness amongst the leading German electronics companies in this regard. Secretary, DeitY and Joint Secretary, DeitY gave presentations on the new manufacturing policy of the Government in ESDM sector and the various incentives given to investors for manufacturing in India in this sector. Minister also briefly spoke about the initiatives taken by the new Government led by Prime Minister Modi, particularly about his vision to make India a ‘Digital India’. He also briefed about the ‘Make in India’ policy of the new Government and invited German companies to avail this opportunity. In order to be competitive and successful in the market, Minister emphasized the need to have ‘speed, scale and skill’ in manufacturing.

The Indian delegation also had meetings with Nokia, DKE/VDE, TUV, Heinen & Löwenstein and Bosch on 19thHeinen & Löwenstein and Bosch were particularly fruitful and promising for investment in India. Bosch representatives urged the Minister to include new R&D sector as well while creating new Electronic manufacturing clusters in India with the help of foreign investors which would give a solid foundation to the private sector while strengthening domestic manufacturing in India and help ease the supplier base problem. In response, Minister also urged Bosch to produce semi-conductors in India as India is looking to have manufacturing of semi-conductors. Further Bosch was asked to submit a concrete proposal which should not only be Bosch-intensive but focused on how India could do well in this sector and how India could utilize skill of India’s manpower. 

The Minister also addressed a session of the India Business Forum (IBF), Frankfurt on September, 2014. The India Business Forum, which has over 200 members, was set up by the Consulate General of India, Frankfurt in November 2013 to bring Indian professionals, businessmen and entrepreneurs within the jurisdiction of the Consulate on a common platform. The Minister while addressing the IBF community comprising representatives of prominent Indian companies such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL etc. gave an overview of the policy initiatives and priorities of the new Government. The members also had a chance to interact with the Minister and get their queries addressed with regard to the policies of the Ministry.