India

The trade volume between Germany and India has more than tripled in the past 10 years. India is the fourth largest trade partner of Germany in the Asia-Pacific region, and Germany is India’s most important trade partner in the EU. The goods they trade are very diverse and range from automotive components to medical devices.

To reduce technical barriers to trade, strengthen product safety, and enhance consumer protection, both countries have set up the Indo-German Working Group on Quality Infrastructure in 2013. The Working Group is jointly led by the Indian Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). It involves relevant ministries, regulators, public agencies, accreditation and standards bodies, industry associations, and companies. On the Indian side, political partners include the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises (MoHI&PE), the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and the Ministry of Power (MoP).

The Indian and German partners and stakeholders of the Working Group jointly address technical market access concerns of the industry, and thereby improve business conditions and bilateral trade. Topics range from the automotive industry, machinery safety, Industry 4.0, medical devices, and electric vehicles, to cyber security and data protection.