India’s Republic Day
H.E. Ajit Gupte, Ambassador of India, recalled in his welcoming address the remarkable progress his country has achieved in recent years
Florian Hahn, Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, during his speech
India–EU Free Trade Agreement
The Ambassador also referred to the reciprocal high-level political visits and the areas of cooperation that Germany and India intend to pursue in the future. Economic and trade relations between the two countries, he noted, are developing very positively, and India welcomes the conclusion of the free trade agreement with the European Union. He also drew attention to the Indian diaspora in Germany, now numbering nearly 300,000 people—around one in five of whom is a student in science or technology.
H.E. Ajit Gupte, Ambassador of India, and H.E. Abir Ali, Ambassador of Lebanon
The Ambassador concluded by expressing his conviction that “India’s strengths in IT, Big Tech and artificial intelligence can be combined with Germany’s strength in engineering to create highly advanced products that benefit both sides. On this 77th Republic Day, we celebrate not only India’s constitutional values and achievements, but also the extraordinary friendship between India and Germany, which continues to grow rapidly. It is rooted in democracy, strengthened by trust, and guided by a shared vision for a better world.”
He then invited Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, Florian Hahn, to take the floor. Hahn conveyed congratulations also on behalf of Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and the entire Federal Government. He noted that 2026 is a special year for Indo-German relations, as India and Germany celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties. Recalling the visit of Friedrich Merz to India, Hahn underscored the importance Germany attaches to its strategic partnership with India: “Today, India is rightly one of Germany’s most important partners in the Indo-Pacific region, and we see great potential to deepen and expand our relations at all levels.”
H.E. Ilham Ibrahim Mohamed Ahmed, Ambassador of Sudan, and H.E. Ajit Gupte, Ambassador of India
From left to right: The Ambassador of India and H.E. Andrew Jonathan Mitchell, Ambassador of the United Kingdom.
Hahn highlighted cooperation in the fields of security and defence, labour and skilled migration, energy and hydrogen, as well as science and technology. He noted that Bosch today employs more than 14,000 highly skilled staff in its Indian subsidiary, while the SAP campus nearby plans to expand its workforce from 15,000 to more than 25,000 employees. These examples, Hahn said, illustrate how innovation and economic prosperity can grow when both sides commit to long-term engagement based on mutual understanding.
Indo-German trade now amounts to nearly €40 billion, making Germany India’s largest trading partner within the European Union. More than 2,000 German companies operate in India.
Germany and India, Hahn concluded, share the conviction that peace and prosperity can only exist in a world that respects international law - including the law of the sea, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Following the speeches, guests enjoyed an Indian cultural programme featuring music and dance, after which they were invited to an exceptionally lavish Indian buffet.
H.E. Archbishop Dr Nikola Eterović, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, and H.E. Gordan Bakota, Ambassador of Croatia
Luiz Eduardo Gonçalves, Minister-Counsellor, Embassy of Brazil; Monika Hein, German Bundestag; André Tenório Mourão, Counsellor, Embassy of Brazil; H.E. Juana Martinez Gonzalez, Ambassador of Cuba
From left to right: the Ambassador of the Maldives, H.E. Aishath Shaan Shakir; the wife of the Indian Ambassador; the wife of the Ambassador of Singapore
From left to right: H.E. Craig John Hawke, Ambassador of New Zealand, at one of his final events in Germany before returning to New Zealand; H.E. Sang-Beom Lim, Ambassador of South Korea
From left to right: the Ambassador of Cambodia, H.E. Thyra Chheang; the Ambassador of Lebanon, H.E. Abir Ali; the Ambassador of Mongolia, H.E. Mandakhbileg Birvaa
From left: the Ambassador of Cuba, H.E. Juana Martinez Gonzalez; the Ambassador of Peru, H.E. Augusto Arzubiaga Scheuch; the Ambassador of Monaco, H.E. Lorenzo Ravano
H.E. Reem Mohammed Khaled Al Khaled, Ambassador of Kuwait, and H.E. Archbishop Eterović, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
From left to right: the Ambassador of Cambodia, H.E. Thyra Chheang; the Ambassador of Croatia, H.E. Gordan Bakota; H.E. Archbishop Eterović, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps; the Ambassador of Mongolia, H.E. Mandakhbileg Birvaa