Karlsruhe strengthens ties with partners in India
A report on the economic delegation led by Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup to Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur and Hyderabad (27 January – 5 February 2026)
From 27 January to 5 February 2026, the City of Karlsruhe conducted an official delegation visit to India, strengthening long-standing partnerships and exploring new avenues for cooperation. Throughout the program, the delegation sought to identify mutual opportunities for collaboration, positioning Karlsruhe as an attractive partner for innovation, research and investment.
Led by Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup, the delegation comprised 21 representatives from science and higher education, economic and business development as well as culture and tourism. Aside from visits to established partners in Pune and Mumbai, a sub-delegation consisting of representatives from the Economic Development Department and the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe extended the visit to the cities Nagpur and Hyderabad for the first time.
Building on previous exchanges, the visit focused on fostering cultural exchange, academic cooperation and economic development. In light of India’s growing role in the global economy and the expanding partnership between Germany and India, the visit underscored Karlsruhe’s ambition to position itself as an international centre for sustainable and digital innovation.
Engagement with industry, research and innovation ecosystems
A central focus of the visit was the exchange with expanding companies, research institutions and innovation hubs. In line with Karlsruhe’s internationalization strategy, many of the meetings highlighted cooperation in digitalization, engineering, e-mobility and advanced manufacturing. These exchanges offered valuable insights into the region’s rapidly evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
In Pune, the delegation visited several key industrial and technological partners. A key highlight was the visit to Tata Elxsi, a global engineering and design company specialising in automotive technology, aerospace, mobility and medical technology. During the visit to the company’s engineering centre in Pune, both sides expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation in innovation and technology development. Mayor Dr. Mentrup extended an invitation for a Tata Elxsi delegation to visit Karlsruhe and explore opportunities for closer collaboration.
Dialogue with industry also extended to the Thane-Belapur Industrial Association (TBIA) near Mumbai, representing more than 3,000 companies. Building on previous academic exchanges, the discussions explored possibilities for deeper cooperation. In particular, partners considered the development of a capacity-building and training centre, potentially implemented in partnership with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) and the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe, with support from the Government of Maharashtra.
Supporting start-up landscape
The visit provided an opportunity to explore India’s dynamic start-up ecosystem. In Nagpur, the delegation visited the VISTA Ecosystem, a centre supporting innovative start-ups and social initiatives focused on urban transformation and environmental engagement. The delegation also visited the Know School, where the start-up UnBox presented innovative approaches to gamified and creative learning.
In Hyderabad, two major innovation hubs illustrated the city’s dynamic start-up ecosystem. The Impact Hub Hyderabad, which works closely with its partner organization in Karlsruhe, showcased its role in connecting entrepreneurs and supporting innovative ventures. The delegation also visited T-Hub, India’s largest start-up centre, which links companies in fields such as artificial intelligence and information technology with international investors. The discussions highlighted promising opportunities for cooperation with Karlsruhe’s own innovation ecosystem.
Thus, the extended visits to Nagpur and Hyderabad offered valuable insights into the innovative entrepreneurial scene of the region.
Participation in major conferences and events
The delegation’s program further included participation in prominent conferences and public events. At the Automotive Technology Conference SIAT in Pune, one of the leading events for the automotive sector in India, Mayor Dr. Mentrup was honoured with a keynote address, highlighting Karlsruhe’s strengths in research, mobility and innovation. The conference provided insights into the rapidly expanding Indian automotive sector, particularly the shift toward electric mobility and digital assistance systems.
During the conference, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) celebrated its 60th anniversary in presence of the delegation. A significant outcome of the event was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the KIT’s wbk Institute of Production Science and ARAI, aimed at strengthening cooperation in production technologies and Industry 4.0. This collaboration complements Karlsruhe’s expertise in technology transfer, digital transformation and autonomous mobility.
Further program highlights included the VASVIK Industrial Research Awards in Mumbai, where Mayor Dr. Mentrup honoured outstanding researchers in a laudatory speech and invited the awardees to Karlsruhe. Karlsruhe was also represented at the cultural event “Stuttgart meets Mumbai” with a video message and welcoming address by the Mayor.
Exchange with public institutions and international partners
Meetings with public institutions further reinforced the strategic dimension of the visit. At the Government of Maharashtra, Mayor Dr. Mentrup and his delegation met with representatives led by Chief Protocol Officer and FDI expert Dr. Rajesh Gawande. The discussions concluded with concrete action points aimed at strengthening cooperation in economic development, cultural exchange and tourism.
The delegation also visited the German Consulate General in Mumbai, where representatives discussed the evolving economic relationship between Europe and India. Against the background of the recently concluded EU–India free trade agreement, participants expressed optimism about the growing dynamism between the two markets and emphasized the importance of long-standing partnerships such as those between Karlsruhe and its Indian counterparts.
Another key stop was the German-Indian Chamber of Commerce (AHK), where the delegation visited the newly established office representing the state of Baden-Württemberg. Discussions highlighted opportunities created by local production and international value chains, particularly in relation to technological transformation and innovation.
Academic cooperation and knowledge exchange
Strengthening academic collaboration formed another key pillar of the visit. At the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) in Mumbai, representatives from NMIMS and Karlsruhe’s higher education institutions signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at expanding cooperation, particularly in the fields of e-mobility and engineering. The agreement expresses a shared intention to strengthen collaboration between universities while integrating industry partners from Karlsruhe’s economic network.
Additional exchanges took place with Pimpri Chinchwad University in Pune and the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Hyderabad, both of which expressed interest in strengthening cooperation with Karlsruhe’s academic institutions.
Looking ahead: strengthening long-term partnerships
The visit reaffirmed Karlsruhe’s strong commitment to its Indian partners and highlighted the growing opportunities for cooperation in innovation, research and economic development. In particular, the first visits to Nagpur and Hyderabad opened new chances for collaboration with emerging innovation ecosystems in these cities.
At the same time, the delegation reinforced established partnerships with institutions and companies in Pune and Mumbai, further strengthening Karlsruhe’s international network. With numerous contacts established and several concrete initiatives underway, the visit laid the groundwork for future exchanges, joint projects and return visits by Indian partners to Karlsruhe.
As India continues to expand its global economic role, Karlsruhe’s engagement demonstrates the city’s ambition to remain an open, internationally connected hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and academic excellence, offering attractive opportunities for start-ups, investors and research partners from around the world.
