Shri Piyush Goyal and German Federal Minister Katherina Reiche Discuss Industrial Cooperation and India–EU FTA

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal held a series of high-level engagements in Berlin on October 22nd to strengthen India–Germany trade, investment and industrial cooperation. The engagements included a bilateral meeting with German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Ms. Katherina Reiche, the inauguration of the India Centre at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), an India–Germany Business Roundtable and participation in the Berlin Global Dialogue.

During the bilateral meeting, Shri Piyush Goyal and Ms. Reiche discussed opportunities for closer industrial collaboration and the potential of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to expand bilateral trade and investment. The two Ministers jointly inaugurated DGAP’s India Centre in Berlin, which is intended to promote policy research and dialogue on India–Germany relations.

The Union Ministers also co-chaired an India–Germany Business Roundtable organised with DGAP and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA), with participation from German CEOs and business leaders. In their keynote addresses, Shri Goyal addressed accelerating growth and forging a new trade era, while Ms. Reiche spoke on transforming the FTA into industrial reality. The subsequent interaction focused on translating the prospective India–EU FTA into concrete trade and investment opportunities.

At the Berlin Global Dialogue, Shri Piyush Goyal participated in the panel discussion titled “New Era, New Alliances: The Third Path?” alongside Personal Representative of the German Chancellor for Investment, Mr. Martin Blessing; Singapore’s Minister for Manpower and Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology, Dr. Tan See Leng; and Chairwoman and CEO of Marcegaglia Steel, Ms. Emma Marcegaglia and the session was moderated by Prof. Dr. Lars-Hendrik Röller. Shri Goyal highlighted the importance of trust, complementary economic strengths and resilient supply chains in international partnerships.

Shri Goyal also held individual meetings with Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG, Mr. Stefan Oelrich, and President of its Pharmaceuticals Division; Mr. Murat Akyildiz, Managing Partner of Knauf Group; and CEO of Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA, Mr. Michael Sen, to explore opportunities for business and investment cooperation.

Shri Goyal is accompanied on his visit to Germany and the Netherlands by a delegation of around 100 Indian businesses and startups. The Berlin engagements form part of ongoing efforts to deepen the India–Germany Strategic Partnership, particularly in trade, investment, technology and industrial cooperation.