The "India Day Thuringia" event on November 7 offers business and science an ideal platform to find out about and exchange information on cooperation and business opportunities on the Indian subcontinent. The conference is organized by the TU Ilmenau and the State Development Corporation of Thuringia (LEG) and takes place at the TU Ilmenau.
For one day, "India Day Thuringia" will offer participants lots of interesting input for cooperation and trade with India. On the program: Information from experts, workshops, presentations and a wide range of opportunities for exchange. A highlight of the conference is the lecture by Walter J. Lindner, former German ambassador to India, on the topic: "The old West and the new South. What we should learn from India before it’s too late." The speech by the geopolitics expert will lead into the subsequent panel discussion: experts and company representatives will discuss the question "India, the new China’".
Two parallel workshops offer participants from the business world the opportunity to exchange ideas on successful market entry and business development in India and on intercultural understanding in business practice. In the new format "Business Idol", Indian students will present innovative ideas that can be used to expand business relations between Thuringian companies and India.
"Germany and we in Thuringia," says Wolfgang Tiefensee, Thuringian Minister for Economic Affairs, Science and Digital Society, "are counting on India as a strategic partner to diversify our economic relations with Asia. To this end, however, it is important that the negotiations on the free trade agreement between the EU and India are brought to a swift conclusion. We need the free trade agreement in order to reduce existing competitive disadvantages for German companies." Thuringia has been working for many years to further deepen its existing good economic and research relations with the Indian subcontinent. "The volume of trade with India has reached a new record of 300 million euros in 2023," said the Minister. The exchange also works very well in the field of science - there are currently 13 university partnerships, with 1900 Indian students completing their studies at a Thuringian university. "This is a solid foundation on which we can build for the future," said Tiefensee. The greatest potential for intensifying cooperation and more economic and scientific exchange will be discussed at the "India Day Thuringia".
Another topic of discussion at "India Day Thuringia": opportunities for cooperation between Thuringian and Indian institutions in science and research. The President of TU Ilmenau, Prof. Kai-Uwe Sattler, sees India, as the fifth largest economy in the world, as an extremely attractive partner, especially for a technical university: "With its stable economic growth, especially in the industrial sector and its strength in mechanical engineering, but also in the IT sector, we are looking forward to ’India Day Thuringia’ with great expectations. India has initiated ambitious economic reform programs in the energy transition, in the technology sector and in research - all’areas in which TU Ilmenau also has a lot to offer. India also has the second largest community of international students at TU Ilmenau - highly educated men and women who we would like to keep in Thuringia as future specialists."
LEG Managing Director Sabine Wosche refers to the "Thuringia International" team at LEG Thüringen, which has been supporting Thuringian companies, universities and research institutes in their internationalization projects for years: "India is one of the fastest growing economies and offers immense opportunities in terms of business relationships and cooperation in science and research. Our ’India Day Thuringia’ offers a multifaceted program with renowned experts, so that all participants receive a wealth of information and opportunities for exchange."
India Day Thuringia will end with a celebration of the Indian Diwali "festival of lights", one of the most important Hindu festivals, with music and dance as well as Indian food and drink.
"India Day Thuringia":
Thursday, 07.11.2024, 12 p.m. - 20 p.m.
TU Ilmenau, Meitnerbau Diwali: Humboldtbau
https://www.tu-ilmenau.de/veranstaltungen/indian-day-thuringia
