Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on 24 October 2026 held an interaction with Indian science and technology researchers and students in Berlin, Germany, discussing ways to bolster support for Indian talent overseas and urging them to contribute to India's Viksit Bharat vision. The meeting underscored the government's intent to connect diaspora innovators with concrete platforms to showcase their work internationally.

What Goyal Told the Researchers

The minister heard participants' views on strengthening the support ecosystem for Indians pursuing research and academic opportunities abroad. He assured them of the government's commitment to providing greater visibility to their work in the fields of innovation and startups.

'Assured them of full support to ensure that their efforts in the field of innovation and startups get a platform at important trade fairs and exhibitions and that the India story is strongly showcased,' Goyal said, sharing details of the interaction in a post on X.

He urged the researchers and students to continue contributing to their respective fields as part of the broader Viksit Bharat mission, signalling that the government views the Indian scientific diaspora as a strategic asset rather than a brain-drain statistic.

High-Level Engagements in Berlin

The interaction was part of a broader series of high-level meetings Goyal conducted in Berlin aimed at advancing cooperation in trade, investment, technology and industry. Key engagements included a bilateral meeting with German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche, the joint inauguration of the India Centre at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), an India–Germany Business Roundtable, and participation in the Berlin Global Dialogue.

The DGAP India Centre, inaugurated jointly by Goyal and Minister Reiche, is designed to promote policy research and sustained dialogue on India–Germany relations — a signal that both sides see the bilateral relationship as warranting dedicated institutional infrastructure.

India–Germany Economic Partnership on the Agenda

In a separate post on X, Goyal said he met Levin Holle, Economic and Financial Policy Advisor to the Federal Chancellor of Germany and Germany's G7 and G20 Sherpa, with discussions focused on advancing the India–Germany economic partnership and expanding cooperation on shared global economic priorities and multilateral platforms.

Earlier on Friday, Goyal said India and Germany discussed opportunities to strengthen industrial collaboration and the potential of the proposed India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to expand bilateral trade and investment. The India–EU FTA has been a long-running negotiation, and any momentum from bilateral engagements with Germany — the EU's largest economy — could prove significant for its eventual conclusion.

Broader Significance

The Berlin visit forms part of ongoing efforts to deepen the India–Germany Strategic Partnership. Notably, Germany is among India's top trading partners in Europe, and the discussions on the India–EU FTA align with New Delhi's push to diversify trade relationships amid shifting global supply chains. The government's pledge to give diaspora innovators a platform at major trade fairs and exhibitions also connects to India's growing presence at events such as the Hannover Messe, where bilateral industrial ties are traditionally on display.

All eyes will now be on whether the commitments made in Berlin — from FTA progress to startup visibility platforms — translate into actionable steps in the weeks ahead.