City of KarlsruheEconomic D evelopment Department
Karlsruhe positions itself successfully in India
Delegation trip to India led by Lord Mayor Dr Frank Mentrup
There are over 200 players with a connection to India in and around Karlsruhe. All of them - whether from business, science, culture, events, tourism or institutions - are well networked via the India Board Karlsruhe.
Under the leadership of Lord Mayor Dr Frank Mentrup, a delegation of 15 participants from business, culture and trade from Karlsruhe visited India at the end of February 2025 and completed an extensive programme with a wide range of objectives. The programme was initiated by the Impact Hub Karlsruhe and started in the city of Hyderabad, which is also known as Cyberabad in India due to its many digital companies. The mentoring and coaching programme for start-ups from both cities was launched together with the Impact Hub Hyderabad and accompanied by an extensive programme of visits. Three young companies from Karlsruhe were able to start their market access via a qualification and corresponding contacts in the Indian economy. The participating Karlsruhe companies OnlyGreens (vertical farming), Haferwelt (natural products/food) and heliopas (AI for agriculture/water consumption) were very enthusiastic about the results achieved and the high-quality contacts made.
In Pune, the delegation took part in the Pune International Business Summit organised by the local chamber of commerce MCCIA - Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture and was able to present itself as a reliable partner to 400 participating Indian companies with a panel discussion and a speech by the Lord Mayor. Many discussions were held at the Karlsruhe stand, which, among other things, were able to inspire Indian companies for the India Summer Days, so that we can look forward to many new visitors and sponsors at the Indian cultural festival in Karlsruhe at the end of July.
A letter of intent was signed in Pune with our long-standing partner ARAI - Automotive Research Association of India, which holds out the prospect of collaboration on research projects and the establishment of ARAI's first European office in Karlsruhe.
Another milestone was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the city of Karlsruhe and the Thane-Belapur Industry Association. For the past two years, Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, the City Planning Office and the Karlsruhe Economic Development Agency have been working successfully to develop a concept for transforming one of India's oldest industrial parks with around 3,000 manufacturing companies into a sustainable, future-orientated industrial district. This cooperation is to be intensified in the future.
The highlight of the trip was the participation of the business delegation from Karlsruhe in the Bharat Calling Conference in Mumbai, organised by the IMC - Indian Merchant Chamber. The opening by the Indian Federal Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, once again demonstrated India's responsible view of global changes and was supported by the speech of Karlsruhe's Lord Mayor Dr Mentrup on the panel with representatives from Oman, the United Arab Emirates, India and Turkey on the topic of Global Shifts and International Challenges by emphasising the common democratic values.
India has long played an important role in many co-operations in the region - and Karlsruhe was involved in several areas at a very early stage. Thanks to this long-standing cooperation, the impetus from Karlsruhe is taken seriously and perceived very positively by the partners in Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad. This regular and reliable presence in many fields is appreciated in India, emphasised German Consul General Achim Fabig in conversation with Lord Mayor Dr Frank Mentrup in Mumbai. This has an exceptional character and creates a relationship of trust.
Whether business development, innovative start-ups, KME Karlsruhe Marketing und Event GmbH with the ‘India Summer Days’, the most successful India festival in Germany, the city planning office, Karlsruhe Chamber of Crafts or German Indo Promotion: Karlsruhe was able to be represented as an internationally competitive location in all facets. ‘The results show that Karlsruhe has positioned itself well as a centre of innovation - and can now benefit from the development of India's economic power in the coming years through investments, cooperation projects and the recruitment of skilled workers,’ says Ralf Eichhorn, Head of Innovation and International Affairs at the Economic Development Department of the City of Karlsruhe.
The regular personal exchange is particularly helpful for many collaborations and projects; it presents current projects, provides an outlook and also offers the opportunity to identify further concrete points of contact. ‘The partners in Germany and India, some of whom have been with us for many years, stand firmly by each other and also provide cultural impetus,’ says Martin Wacker, Managing Director of KME Karlsruhe Marketing und Event GmbH, referring to the cooperation between the ZKM and the Goethe-Institut in Mumbai. The cultural impetus that Karlsruhe has been able to provide in India will come to a fantastic conclusion with an exhibition at the ZKM from 29 July 2025 - with Indian artists in Karlsruhe.
