Germany Expresses Happiness on Indian Investment Climate Anand Sharma raises issues of Cumbersome Visa Process and IPR Infringement of Indian Intellectual Property Siemens to collaborate in Skill Development in Manufacturing Meets German Economy Minister and Mayor of Berlin Dr. Philipp Roessler, German Federal Minister of Economics & Technology of Germany has informed visiting Indian Minister of Commerce Industry and Textiles Shri Anand Sharma that most of German Companies in India are happy with the business environment in India and expressed his desire to further deepen economic engagement with India. Reciprocating the sentiment Shri Anand Sharma said “Indian industry majors such as Tata Motors, Bharat Forge, Suzlon and the Mahindras group,Wipro, Infosys have all established their base in Germany. There are 215 Indian companies active in Germany employing over 24,000 people, making an enriching contribution to the local economy.” About 600 Indo-German joint ventures are presently in operation in India. FDI inflows from Germany into India is around US $ 4.55 billion and it ranks 8th among investors in India. FDI flow from India into Germany is US $ 5.9 billion in 2011. The two Ministers met in Berlin yesterday. However, both sides raised issues pertaining to the companies of their companies which need governments’ attention. Shri Sharma raised the issue of dispute between Ideafarms (an Indian Company) & Continental AG concerning unauthorized use of software, copyright of which was held by Ideafarms. India was given assurance of a just solution and Indian side will follow the issue up with the German side. Shri Sharma also raised the ease of movement for business visitors and said “I do hope that there will be further simplification of the visa regime between our countries and work permit procedures for facilitating easy movement of professionals, business persons and tourists.” Today, Shri Sharma visited Siemens Technical Academy and discussed the possibilities of Siemens providing skill development services particularly in the field of manufacturing. Only 20% of our workforce undergo skill training as against 75% in Germany and this brings out sharp differences in potential and prospects. “We have launched the National Skill Development Initiative which aims to enhance training opportunities of new entrants to the work force for 10 million per year, and to augment vocational educational capacities by five times from the current three million to 15 million. This will involve a massive effort in establishment of hundreds of new industrial training institutes, poly-techniques, vocational educational centres and 50,000 skilled development centrres across the rural hinterland involving investments of nearly US$ 5 billion…. Germany has long traditions of strong linkages between industry, academia and skill institutions. In the coming years, skill development partnership will perhaps constitute the corner stone of Indo-German collaborations” added Shri Sharma. Shri Sharma also met Mr. Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin and explored the possibility of collaboration in town planning with the city of Berlin specially with regard to proposed smart cities under National Manufacturing Policy and Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor. The bilateral trade between India and Germany has more than doubled over the last 5 years to reach nearly US$ 23.64 billion last year. After a bilateral meeting with Dr. Philipp Roessler, German Federal Minister of Economics & Technology of Germany in Berlin yesterday, Shri Sharma expressed confidence that the trade target of Euro 20 Billion by 2012 will be surpassed.

The Minister of Steel, Shri Beni Prasad Verma has said that an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) has been constituted in the Ministry of Steel to monitor and coordinate issues concerning major steel investments in the country. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today Shri Verma said, the last meeting of IMG was held on 14/3/2012 and the issues discussed related to delay in grant of prospecting licences/mining leases, statutory clearances, railway connectivity, road connectivity, upgradation of roads etc. The decisions taken by the IMG have since been circulated to all the concerned Ministries/Departments and the State Governments for taking necessary action in the matter.