The 17th Meeting of the Indo-German Working Group on Automotive was held on 20 January 2026 at Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi, bringing together senior policymakers and industry representatives from both countries to review cooperation across manufacturing, regulation, and technology development. The meeting was co-chaired by Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Heavy Industry, and Bettina Lauer, Head of Directorate G-2 for Innovative and Climate-friendly Mobility, Germany.
The discussions covered the current status of the automotive industry in India and Germany, supply chain resilience for critical technologies, evolving carbon dioxide regulations, powertrain diversification, taxation reforms, and trade and investment. In an official statement, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable mobility, innovation, and closer industry cooperation, positioning the working group as a platform for translating broader bilateral engagement into sector-level outcomes.
Senior policymakers and industry stakeholders from both countries attended the meeting. Indian participants included Vikrampati Singhania, President of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India, and Santosh Iyer, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz India. Representatives from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers and ACMA were also present. Executives from Bosch India also participated.
The German delegation included senior representatives from the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), led by Angela Mans, Head of Foreign Trade, and Hildegard Müller, President. The delegation also comprised Bettina Lauer, Head of Directorate G-2 for Innovative and Climate-friendly Mobility; Katharina Zubrzycki, Policy Officer at the Federal Ministry of Transport; and Marius Rauschenbach, Counsellor for Transport and Digital at the German Embassy.
Supply chain resilience emerged as a central theme, particularly the availability of rare earth elements and other critical materials required for electric vehicle motors and advanced power electronics. Participants discussed cooperation across exploration, processing, and localisation to mitigate supply risks and support long-term manufacturing stability for automotive producers in both markets.
Powertrain diversification was also discussed, reflecting interest in battery electric vehicles alongside alternative technologies such as hydrogen-based internal combustion engines and biofuels. Regulatory developments related to carbon dioxide emissions and taxation were reviewed in this context, with emphasis on predictable policy frameworks to support technology investment and industrial planning.
Bilateral trade between India and Germany in 2024–25 was estimated at approximately USD 33.4 billion, with Germany remaining India’s largest trading partner in the European Union. According to a KPMG survey conducted in June 2025, 79 percent of German companies indicated plans to invest in India by 2030, underscoring sustained interest in the Indian manufacturing and automotive ecosystem.
Recent on-the-ground developments by German automotive manufacturers and suppliers are reinforcing this momentum. Schaeffler AG has announced plans to invest more than EUR 100 million annually in India over the next five years, focusing on deeper localisation of high-technology components. Mercedes-Benz India has continued to expand operations at its Pune facility, which is increasingly being positioned as a sourcing and export base for selected components. Skoda Auto Volkswagen India is advancing its India 3.0 strategy, with plans to invest approximately EUR 1 billion to support premium vehicle and electric vehicle production on the CMP 21 platform.
The Indo-German Working Group on Automotive is expected to continue meeting regularly, with follow-up engagements planned at industry and technical levels to advance cooperation in supply chains, skills development, and next-generation mobility technologies.