Lucknow, September 02: Under the Indo-German Gateway Program, Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh has taken an important step towards connecting MSMEs with the global market. In this regard, a delegation from Germany paid a courtesy visit to state MSME Minister Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary. During the meeting, the delegation and the minister held detailed discussions on trade, investment, technical cooperation, and the international expansion of MSMEs between Uttar Pradesh and Germany.
Minister Bhupendra Chaudhary stated, "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh is rapidly moving towards becoming a one trillion dollar economy. A reliable and transparent business environment has been created for investors in the state. Around 14% of country's total MSMEs are in UP and approximately one crore MSME units are operating here. After agriculture, MSMEs are the largest sector for employment."
He informed that bilateral trade between India and Germany stands at approximately 31.01 billion dollars. Germany accounts for approximately 19.8% of UP's total exports to the European Union. Uttar Pradesh exports more than 404.20 million dollars annually to Germany, with readymade garments, leather products, footwear, carpets and auto components being the major items. The state's total exports have crossed approximately 18.2 billion euros, equivalent to around two lakh crore rupees, and UP has become the fifth-largest exporting state in the country.
The meeting informed that the Indo-German Gateway Program is a structured 12-month program being implemented in cooperation with Germany's Innovation Hub Rhein-Main and GIBA. Under this program, selected MSMEs and startups will receive assistance in establishing legal companies in Germany, understanding the market there, and connecting directly with foreign buyers. The delegation also discussed joint projects in areas such as precision engineering, automation, electric vehicles, solar energy, and recycling.
German delegation appreciated UP's strong infrastructure and business environment. They stated that the program would not focus only on large companies, but would also select promising MSMEs and startups with a clear vision. They expressed interest in cooperation with universities in UP and in increasing business ties through Noida International Airport.
Minister Bhupendra Chaudhary invited German entrepreneurs to the fourth UP International Trade Show, to be held in Greater Noida from September 25 to 29. He said this partnership would provide a strong foundation for long-term cooperation in trade, technology, investment, and skills. In the first phase, units with the potential for global expansion will be identified.
The German delegation comprised Raunheim Mayor David Rendel, Innovation Hub Rhein-Main CEO Stefan Wittekind, German Indian Business Alliance (GIBA) CEO Nirmal Raman Kannaiyan and Chairman Selvakumar Periyasamy. Principal Secretary, MSME, Shashi Bhushan Lal, Special Secretary Shishir and other officials were also present on the occasion.
