Industrial Products Finder, having been invited at the Press Preview of Hannover Messe 2015 held at Berlin in early February 2015, presents an overview of this grand exhibition.

In 1947, when India became an Independent country after the British left the 'Jewel in the Crown' to return home, in distant Europe, several countries were busy picking up the pieces from the rubble they were reduced to after World War-II; even as the Indian independence too was linked to this war in ways more than one.

"The Hannover Messe started in 1947 in an undamaged factory building in Laatzen, south of Hanover, by an arrangement of the British military government in order to boost the economic advancement of post-war Germany. The first fair was colloquially known as Fischbr?tchenmesse (Fischbr?tchen fair) due to the exemptions in food rationing for the fair at this time. It proved hugely successful and was hence repeated on a yearly basis, contributing largely to the success of the Hanover fairground in replacing the then-East German city of Leipzig as the new major fair city for West Germany." - Wikipedia

"Deutsche Messe AG was founded on 16 August 1947 as Deutsche Messe- und Ausstellungs- AG (German Trade Fair and Exhibition Company) with a registered share capital of 1.2 million reichsmarks. This was an initiative of the British occupying forces in consultation with the commander-in-chief of the American zone. The objective was to get Germany back on its feet economically by revving up its export business. After a 21-day run resulted in the signing of 1,934 export deals worth $31.6 million, the 'Hannover Export Fair' was deemed a success."

"At first, almost everyone was skeptical about Hannover's chances of overtaking Leipzig - the former 'exhibition capital' of the defunct German Reich. But in the years that followed, HANNOVER MESSE became a symbol of Germany's economic miracle. Back in 1948, the first telephone connection was established between the trade fair company and New York. In 1950, the first exhibitors from abroad took part in the renamed 'Deutsche Industrie-Messe' (German Industrial Fair) and, in 1961, the term 'Hannover Messe' was officially adopted. It soon became a renowned, world-class event for cross-communication between technology and industry." - From the official website of Deutsche Messe AG, the organising company of Hannover Messe

Having missed the metaphorical bus for a strong manufacturing based economy several times since independence, 68 years later, a newly elected government with a strong reformist agenda is making a concerted bid to once again board the industrial bus with a new catchphrase of 'Make in India'. As if on cue, India has been designated the official Partner Country at Hannover Messe 2015, putting this vast nation of more than 1.2 billion inhabitants squarely in the spotlight at the world's leading industrial exhibition.

"India is an emerging economic giant which is going to open up enormous sales potential for our German and international exhibitors at Hannover Messe," said Dr Jochen K?ckler, member of the Deutsche Messe Managing Board, while making the announcement in September 2014. "At the same time we will be offering even more exhibitors from India access to new global markets. Ultimately all our exhibitors and visitors as well as the trade fair venue of Hannover will benefit equally from the participation of this attractive Partner Country."

When the curtains go up on the 2015 edition of the Hannover Messe on April 12, 2015 at the Hannover Fair grounds, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by a delegation of top CEOs and decision makers, will join the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to address the world's most important Industry Trade Show in a bid to give a fresh impetus to manufacturing in India.