Pune has became a favourite destination for German companies. Small, medium and large sized firms have made invested in Pune in sectors like automobile, manufacturing, pharma, health care and education especially in the last five years.
According to Zubin Kabraji, regional director, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, Pune is the single largest hub for German companies from the last 60 years. Over 225 German companies have set up their businesses in Pune. The total investment made by these companies in Pune is around 650 million Euros.
By end of July 2012, this figure will cross the mark of 300 companies who will be investing around 200 to 300 million Euros more in Pune.
With major investments in the manufacturing and automobile sectors, there are over 175 JV that are engaged in Pune. Companies like Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen, Siemens, Thyssen Krupp and Schaeffler are some of the key German companies engaged in Pune.
Recently, Volkswagen Group India has introduced a mechatronics apprenticeship programme in Pune which provides apprentices the key competencies which are necessary to adapt to the fast changing industrial requirements in Pune.
"There are many German language aspirants in Pune and over 75000 students from the city have picked up the German language in the last 50 years. Even the German language was first introduced in India in 1911 in Deccan College at Pune. Every year around 2000 students are learning German language from Pune," said Michael Flutch, director, Goethe Institut Max Mueller Bhavan, Pune.
As a part of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Germany and India, the Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany will be showcasing a programme series all over India and also at Pune.
It will showcase a broad spectrum of Indo-German collaboration in politics, business, culture, sports, education, science, technology and research. Most projects will be realised in collaboration with Indian partners and will reflect different facets of urban life and development.