Mehul Lanvers Shah, MD, Hannover Milano, Fairs India

3. What is the reason behind choosing India as the partner country? 

Boasting an average annual growth rate of 10 percent over the last 10 years and with current growth running at around five percent, India is one of the world's fastest-growing economies. To stimulate growth, the country is opening itself up to further foreign investment, having decided to modernise its infrastructure and industrial plant and equipment. Last year alone, the German federal government promised some one billion euros worth of loans to India - funds which are to be used primarily in the area of energy efficiency, industrial subcontracting and digital manufacturing solutions. Additionally, the positive experience of having India as the Partner Country at Hannover Messe 2006 also makes a strong reason for India to be chosen as the partner country. It had inspired some 350 Indian exhibitors and 5,700 Indian attendees.

At Hannover Messe, exhibitors from Germany and across the globe will encounter visitors from India who are in the market for state-of-the-art technology to strengthen their domestic economy.

This year, India's partnership with Hannover Messe will open up colossal sales potential for the German and international exhibitors at Hannover Messe. Hannover Messe 2015 is expected to give a boost to the Indo-German trade relations along with a medium-term increase in exports to India.

4. How will the collaboration with India affect Indo-German trade relations?

With a trade volume of 16.1 billion euros, Germany is India's leading trading partner within the EU. The German trade surplus of approximately 3.4 billion euros (2012/13) reveals the high level of Indian demand for capital goods in particular - above all for machines, which constitute some 33 percent of Germany's total exports to India. Based on a survey commissioned by the German-Indian Chamber of Commerce, German enterprises are expecting a medium-term increase in exports to India thanks to the business-friendly policies of the country's newly elected government.

5. How may India and Germany collaborate to create opportunities for the local manufacturing industry? 

Erstwhile India's manufacturing community has witnessed a major lacklustre performance. One significant initiative that the country can look at to enhance the performance is by skilling its workforce, through partnerships between the apex industry bodies in this sector and international manufacturing conglomerates. Meanwhile, Prime Minister's ‘Make in India' campaign is also expected to boost Indian manufacturers, attract FDI in this sector, provide more jobs, and project India as a manufacturing superpower as well as invite German companies to manufacture their good in India. At Hannover Messe, we will see Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt Ltd display its Heavy Duty Truck (HDT) Cabin, and also HDT Engine and G 85 Transmissions on display that are manufactured in India; and Volkswagen India will be displaying its Made In India Vento. 

Hannover Fair will also play a pivotal role in showcasing India's ‘Digital India' and ‘Skill India' campaigns. There are six seminar programmes that are being scheduled during Hannover Messe, supported by EEPC, CII, FICCI with German Associations like VDMA, ZVEI, and Deutsche Messe.

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