India, the most populous country on Earth, is one of the most interesting markets for Thuringian companies and research institutes due to the size of its economy and its economic dynamism. Therefore, a delegation trip led by Minister President Mario Voigt from May 30 to June 6 took 61 participants to the subcontinent. The delegation included Katharina Schenk, Minister for Social Affairs, Health, Labor and Family, Mario Suckert, State Secretary for Economic Affairs at the TMWLLR, and Prof. Dr. Steffen Teichert, State Secretary for Science and Culture at the TMBWK. The stops on the trip were the capital Delhi (India's political and economic center), Hyderabad (the capital of Telangana, a high-tech location 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 skilled labor recruitment, and this goal was successfully achieved. The delegation had meetings with four Indian federal ministers; there were four major networking events at three locations with numerous opportunities for exchange. In addition, the delegation completed nine company visits, including Zeiss Bangalore (Indian headquarters), SAP Labs Innovation Park (India's largest SAP location and largest F & O center outside Germany), and Skyroot Aerospace, a grown unicorn that now manufactures launch vehicles for satellite launches in Hyderabad. There were also two cooperation events with the Indian industry association FICCI and its member companies in Bangalore, and three investment roundtables in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bangalore with a total of 47 participating Indian companies.
As concrete results, seven cooperation agreements were signed. Among these, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Free State of Thuringia and the State of Telangana should be mentioned, which establishes a comprehensive strategic partnership between Thuringia and Telangana and provides for 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; it is one of the most significant innovation centers in India. On the occasion of the visit, an office of the Thuringian Representation was opened in the T-Hub, operated by the LEG partner Dr. Wamser + Batra GmbH. A Letter of Intent was signed between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and the TU Ilmenau, which will enable future student exchanges and scientific cooperation; in the area of skilled worker recruitment, an MoU was signed between the Thuringian Ministry of Labor and the training and placement company Charkos for the recruitment of Indian nursing staff for Thuringia. A return visit had already taken place on June 18. In general, after the trip comes the next trip: Another journey to the subcontinent is planned for 2027, and Thuringia is also planning to participate in the space fair BSX (Bengaluru Space Expo) in 2027.
