From Airbus to MAHLE: Why German CEOs See India as a Key Partner for Global Growth

Senior German business leaders and industry executives have strongly endorsed the growing India–Germany partnership, citing shared democratic values, trust, and expanding collaboration opportunities across innovation, aerospace, defence, manufacturing and sustainable mobility.

Airbus CEO Michael Schoellhorn described India and Germany as “natural partners” in today’s shifting global order, noting that the bilateral relationship is anchored in mutual trust and common values. He identified future-oriented sectors such as innovation, aerospace and defence as key areas where cooperation can deepen further.

Highlighting the complementary strengths of both nations, Dr Ralf Wintergerst, CEO of Giesecke+Devrient, said combining German engineering precision with India’s scale and talent could unlock transformative global solutions. Such synergies, he noted, position the partnership for sustained long-term success.

German industry leaders also praised India’s leadership and policy direction. Susanne Renate Kunschert, Director at PILZ India, described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a personal role model, crediting him with building a strong foundation for India’s future growth and global standing.

Echoing that sentiment, Bertram Kawlath, President of the VDMA—Europe’s largest mechanical engineering industry association—said Prime Minister Modi has accurately assessed the potential of Indo-German collaboration. He emphasised that closer ties between German machinery manufacturers and Indian equipment producers could significantly expand the global equipment market.

India’s progress in sustainable mobility drew particular attention. Arnd Franz, Chairman and CEO of the MAHLE Group, said India is advancing faster than many major economies in the green transition. He pointed to India’s pragmatic, multi-fuel approach—spanning E20 ethanol blends, biofuels, hydrogen and electrification—as a realistic and balanced model for global decarbonisation.

Franz also expressed optimism about India’s emergence as a major exporter of automobiles and components, positioning the country as a critical contributor to global supply chains.

These views were shared at the India–Germany CEOs Forum in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where Prime Minister Modi and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met business leaders from both countries.

The economic momentum behind the partnership is already visible. Bilateral trade in goods and services reached USD 51.23 billion in FY 2024-25, making Germany India’s largest trading partner within the European Union. Germany accounts for nearly one-fourth of India’s total trade with the EU, while trade in services rose 12.5% year-on-year to a record USD 16.65 billion.

Germany is also a key investment partner. It ranks as India’s ninth-largest foreign investor, with cumulative FDI inflows of USD 15.40 billion between April 2000 and June 2025. German investments during FY 2024-25 alone stood at USD 469 million, underscoring growing confidence in India’s long-term growth story.

(ANI and yMedia are content partners for this story)