From 18–20 August 2026, a high-level political and business delegation from the German federal state of Hessen visited New Delhi and Mumbai, led by Minister-President Boris Rhein and Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Relations and Deregulation, Manfred Pentz. Organised with the support of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC), the visit brought together political leaders, business representatives, and institutional stakeholders from both countries for a series of high-level meetings, sector briefings, and networking engagements aimed at deepening economic cooperation between Hessen and India.
New Delhi: 18–19 August
The delegation's India programme began in New Delhi, where it held a series of high-level meetings and exchanges with key stakeholders to gain perspectives on India's business landscape and opportunities for closer cooperation. Engagements included:
- A briefing with the German Embassy New Delhi, Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
- A meeting with German political foundations
- A sector-specific interaction with Invest India
- A visit to HCLTech
- A visit to Dabur India Limited
- A business roundtable at NASSCOM
- An industry interaction at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
A key highlight of the Delhi leg was the delegation's interaction with the Hon'ble Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, which provided an important platform to discuss ways to further strengthen economic and business ties between India and Hessen in light of the EU–India Free Trade Agreement.
The Delhi engagements reaffirmed the strong potential for greater cooperation between the two regions in trade, investment, technology, innovation, and industry, and underscored a shared commitment to deepening the India–Germany economic partnership.
Mumbai: 19–20 August
The delegation's programme continued in Mumbai, facilitated by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, bringing together business leaders from Hessen and India for a focused exchange on India's economic landscape and opportunities for deeper investment and cooperation.
Hessen–India Business Briefing: The Mumbai leg opened with a Hessen–India Business Briefing spanning perspectives from finance, economics, life sciences, technology, and development cooperation. Manfred Pentz shared insights from the delegation's engagements in Delhi, followed by contributions from:
- Tom Reiner, Director, DE International Services Coordination, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
- Rinsi S., DZ BANK AG
- Florian Wenke, Germany Trade & Invest
- Dr. Irmela von Schenck, Deutsche Bundesbank
- Dhananjay Singh, Merck Life Science
- Pranita Phatak, IIT Bombay
- Martha Scheifel, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Visit to NSE India The programme continued at the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), offering the delegation insight into Mumbai's role as India's financial centre. The visit was graced by the presence of the Hon'ble Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, and Ashishkumar Chauhan, MD & CEO of NSE.
Visit to Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited At Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited, the delegation gained first-hand insight into India's pharmaceutical and life sciences sector, including its R&D activities. Special thanks go to Sanjiv Navangul and Chirag Mehta for sharing valuable perspectives on the company's operations, expertise, and activities across India and Germany.
Visit to the Jio 5G Experience Centre The programme concluded with a visit to the Jio 5G Experience Centre, offering further insight into India's rapidly evolving digital ecosystem. Thanks go to Prashant Lavti of Jio for his valuable contribution and insights into the group's activities and India's technology landscape.
Hessen Reception at Taj Palace, Mumbai: 20 August
As part of the Mumbai programme, the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce hosted a Hessen Reception at the Taj Palace, Mumbai, on 20 August, on the occasion of the delegation's visit. The evening, hosted by H.E. Boris Rhein, Minister-President of Hessen, brought together distinguished representatives of the Indo-German business community, including companies from Hessen and India across the IT, finance, and healthcare sectors.
Moderated by Sana Bagdadi, the evening featured remarks by:
- Tom Reiner, Director, DE International Services Coordination, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
- Boris Rhein, Minister-President of Hessen
- Christoph Rendtorff, Deputy Consul General, German Consulate General Mumbai
- Atul Raje, Managing Director, SAMSON CONTROLS PVT LTD INDIA
A particular highlight of the evening was the Hessen image film, offering an impressive glimpse into Hessen as one of Germany's economic powerhouses and a leading centre for industry, finance, innovation, and international business. Above all, the reception created space for dialogue, new connections, and future cooperation between Hessen and India.
Looking Ahead
For 70 years, the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce has been connecting and supporting businesses across India and Germany. The Hessen delegation's visit to New Delhi and Mumbai reflects the continued strength of this partnership, and the IGCC looks forward with great enthusiasm to seeing the ties between Hessen and India deepen further in the years ahead.
