Mt Anand Sharma Indian union minister of commerce and industry during his 3 days visit to Düsseldorf and Berlin in Germany, emphasized on the strategic partnership in innovation between India and Germany.

Discussions focused on taking Indo German collaboration forward in key areas such as knowledge sectors like ICT, energy including renewable energy, cutting edge technology including environmental and green technology, life sciences and biotechnology, nano technologies, small city and integrated townships, besides further enhancement of ongoing cooperation in infrastructure, manufacturing and engineering.

Mr Sharma suggested further strengthening of institutional linkages especially between economic research and policy institutes in India and their German counterparts. Such linkages could be established between institutes such as German Institutes of Economic Research in Berlin, the Ifo Institute of Economic Research in Munich, Kiel Institute for World Economy and the Halle Institute of Economic Research Partners and, on the Indian side, the National Council of Applied Economic Research, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations and the Gokhle Institute of Economic and Politics in Pune.

He also endorsed linkages between National Institutes of Design in both countries and between the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and an appropriate German counterpart.