India, the world's most populous country, is one of the most attractive markets for Thuringian companies and research institutes due to the size of its economy and its economic dynamism. Therefore, a delegation led by Minister-President Mario Voigt traveled to the subcontinent from May 30 to June 6, comprising 61 participants. The delegation included Katharina Schenk, Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Labor and Family; Mario Suckert, State Secretary for Economic Affairs at the Thuringian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Region (TMWLLR); and Prof. Dr. Steffen Teichert, State Secretary for Science and Culture at the Thuringian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (TMBWK). The trip included stops in the capital, Delhi (India's political and economic center); Hyderabad (the capital of Telangana, a high-tech hub with strong clusters in life sciences and IT); and Bangalore (a hotspot for technology and innovation, a hub for start-ups, research and development centers).
The aim of the trip was to lay the foundations for long-term partnerships in the areas of business, science, and talent acquisition, and this goal was successfully achieved. The delegation met with four Indian federal ministers and participated in four major networking events at three locations, providing numerous opportunities for exchange. They also visited nine companies, including Zeiss Bangalore (Indian headquarters), SAP Labs Innovation Park (India's largest SAP location and the largest R&D center outside Germany), and Skyroot Aerospace, a unicorn that now manufactures launch vehicles for satellite launches in Hyderabad. In addition, the delegation attended two collaborative events with the Federation of Indian Industries and Corporations (FICCI) and its member companies in Bangalore, and three investment roundtables in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore, with a total of 47 participating Indian companies.
Seven cooperation agreements were signed as concrete results. These include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Free State of Thuringia and the state of Telangana, establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership between Thuringia and Telangana and envisioning long-term cooperation in business, science, and culture. This MoU was signed during a visit to the T-Hub in Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana; the T-Hub is one of India's most important IND innovation centers. An office of the Thuringian representative was opened at the T-Hub during the visit; it is operated by LEG partner Dr. Wamser + Batra GmbH. A Letter of Intent was signed between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and the Ilmenau University of Technology, facilitating future student exchanges and scientific collaborations. In the area of skilled worker recruitment, an MoU was signed between the Thuringian Ministry of Labor and the training and placement agency Charkos to recruit Indian nursing staff for Thuringia. A return visit took place on June 18. In fact, after the trip comes the next trip: Another trip to the subcontinent is planned for 2027, and Thuringia's participation in the BSX (Bengaluru Space Expo) space fair is also planned for 2027.
