India makes a mark at Hannover Messe 2025

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India makes a mark at Hannover Messe 2025

India makes a mark at Hannover Messe 2025

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Apr 29,25

Presence of more than 80 Indian exhibitors at Hannover Messe 2025 - one of the world's leading industrial trades - reflected the country's growing influence in the global manufacturing landscape. By organising India Day, VDMA India helped in fostering Indo-German business relations in the engineering sector.

India makes a mark at Hannover Messe 2025

Hannover Messe 2025 - one of the world's leading industrial trades - showcased how artificial intelligence (AI), automation, digitalization, and electrification are helping companies to take a quantum leap in industry efficiency. Around 4,000 exhibitors from all over the world showcased their industrial solutions. More than 40 per cent of the visitors came from abroad. Apart from the host country Germany, the top visitor nations were China, the Netherlands, Canada, Poland, South Korea and Japan.

India at HM2025

India has been an active participant in Hannover Messe, serving as the official partner country in 2015. With its engineering capabilities and growing emphasis on innovation and sustainability, India plays a crucial role in the global manufacturing industry. The country's focus on sectors like automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing positions it as a significant contributor to global industrial transformation. In 2025, more than 80 Indian exhibitors participated in the world's largest engineering trade fair, reflecting the country's growing influence in the global manufacturing landscape.

Given the current global environment, there is a huge opportunity to increase cooperation between Indian and European companies. “There is a growing interest among German and other European companies in India. With the current geopolitical tensions, particularly with China, India is increasingly being seen as a viable sourcing hub. This shift is evident at this year’s Hannover Messe. The participation of Indian companies at the fair is helping to position them as potential suppliers to European businesses. It’s an excellent opportunity for Indian manufacturers to integrate into global value chains, especially in sectors requiring high-quality engineering and technological capabilities,” said Rajesh Nath, Managing Director, VDMA India, in an exclusive interview with SME during Hannover Messe 2025.

The Frankfurt-headquartered VDMA, which stands for the German Engineering Federation, is the largest industrial association not just in Germany, but across Europe. It represents over 3,600 member companies involved in mechanical engineering and plant manufacturing. “Collectively, they have an annual turnover of around € 262 billion. In total, VDMA operates 20 offices globally with around 500 employees supporting various industry segments,” stated Nath.

VDMA India acts as a key facilitator for fostering Indo-German business relations in the engineering sector. For many German companies exploring the Indian market, VDMA serves as the first point of contact by offering valuable insights and guidance. He added, “We keep our members regularly informed about India’s industrial landscape and its evolving opportunities. For those already established in India, we offer a platform for networking and collaboration. Our ultimate goal is to promote bilateral trade and cooperation between the two regions in the mechanical and plant engineering sectors.”

Rajesh Nath, MD, VDMA India

India Day

One of the major initiatives of VDMA at Hannover Messe 2025 was the India Day event, hosted on April 3, 2025. This event presented India’s industrial potential to the international audience, especially German and European companies. The intention of the event was to bring both sides together—to help German companies understand the Indian market and to support Indian firms aiming to expand into Europe.

A key highlight of India Day was the panel discussion, moderated by Rajesh Nath. The event witnessed participation of a diverse group of speakers including representatives from German companies already operating in India and Indian companies looking to establish or expand their presence in Europe. “This exchange is important because it provides a two-way view—German firms will share their experiences of setting up in India, while Indian firms can discuss how their ‘Make in India’ products are being received in global markets. This kind of dialogue can go a long way in deepening mutual understanding and accelerating Indo-German cooperation,” explained Nath.

From the German companies, insights emerged around why they had chosen India as a business destination, the challenges they had encountered, their views on India’s industrial growth, and the sectors they found most promising. From the Indian companies, the discussion revealed how their products—particularly those developed under the ‘Make in India’ initiative—were being positioned in global markets. Participants shared their experiences with quality benchmarking, obtaining certifications, and gaining market acceptance in Europe.

He said, “By bringing these perspectives together, the panel discussion helped lay a stronger foundation for future partnerships. India was highlighted not only as a growing market but also as an emerging hub for manufacturing and innovation. Events like India Day played a key role in making these strengths visible and tangible to the international business community.”

Looking beyond Hannover Messe

Indo-German trade has shown steady growth over the past few years. German machinery exports to India are now over € 4 billion annually. On the other side, Indian engineering exports to Germany have also seen an increase. “In fact, for the first time last year, Indian engineering exports to Germany crossed the €1 billion mark. This growth is continuing at a rate of around 10 to 12 per cent,” Nath disclosed.

German companies see a strong market in India for advanced machinery and solutions, while Indian manufacturers are gradually becoming more competitive in terms of quality and pricing. The scope of trade is broadening with collaboration increasing in areas like R&D, design engineering, and automation.

Abhishek Dubey (3^rd from left), Dy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India in Germany, Soumya Gupta (4^th from left), Consul General of India in Hamburg, and Avishek Ghosh (1^st from left), Dy Director, EEPC India, at Hannover Messe 2025

Digitalisation is a major opportunity. Germany has innovative technologies in areas like automation, Industry 4.0, and advanced manufacturing. At Hannover Messe, many German firms showcased their digital innovations. As Indian manufacturing becomes more complex and globally integrated, there is an increasing need to adopt digital tools to improve efficiency and product quality.

“For Indian companies, embracing these technologies can boost productivity, streamline operations, and meet global standards. There’s also a growing interest in sustainability and green technologies, where German expertise and Indian market potential can create powerful synergies. So, I believe the future holds a lot of promise for deeper Indo-German partnerships in high-tech manufacturing, digital transformation, and sustainable engineering solutions,” concluded Nath.