Gujarat Holds Talks With German Business Delegation to Strengthen Industrial Cooperation

GANDHINAGAR: A senior German business delegation led by State Secretary Stefan Rauenhoff held a strategic meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar on Monday.

The delegation is in India to take part in the India–Germany CEO Forum, which was convened in the presence of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Welcoming the delegation, Chief Minister Patel congratulated the members on the successful outcome of the CEO Forum and said Gujarat places high value on its long-standing partnership with Germany.

Members of the delegation acknowledged Gujarat’s contribution of more than 8 per cent to India’s GDP growth and said they were particularly interested in expanding cooperation in the small and medium enterprises (SME) sector.

Chief Minister Patel noted that under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, Indian states are now focused on accelerating their growth trajectories.

He assured the delegation that Gujarat remains committed to deepening its partnership with German industry and announced plans to set up a dedicated help desk to facilitate German investments and further improve ease of doing business in the state.

During the discussions, State Secretary Rauenhoff said Germany is looking to diversify its supply chains and added that for Gujarat to emerge as a preferred partner, challenges related to logistics, production structures and economic frameworks would need to be addressed.

He also observed that Gujarat is emerging as a leader in the energy sector and said German expertise in renewable energy grids and storage technologies could significantly support the state’s ambitions.

Chief Minister Patel outlined Gujarat’s roadmap towards Viksit Bharat@2047, stating that the state is prepared to play a leading role by establishing six regional growth hubs and identifying district-level focus sectors through the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conferences.

He said Gujarat’s reputation as a progressive state, supported by sector-specific policies such as the Hybrid Renewable Energy Policy, IT Policy and Green Hydrogen Policy, offers attractive opportunities for German companies to collaborate in their areas of strength.

The Chief Minister also highlighted opportunities for Gujarat to benefit from Germany’s expertise in precision engineering and advanced technologies. Members of the German delegation, including Siemens CEO Roland Busch, shared suggestions on integrating Gujarat’s MSMEs into global supply chains and strengthening supply chain ecosystems in the state.

More than 30 leading German industrialists and investors took part in the meeting, representing sectors ranging from engineering and automotive to marine, chemicals and advanced manufacturing.