2nd Indo-German SME Forum

The second Indo-German SME Forum jointly organized by the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) programme of GIZ, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Small Industries Development Bank of India, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry will be held on the 22nd & 23rd September, 2014 at Hotel Lalit, New Delhi. The forum will revolve around the theme of “cluster internationalisation” and will provide a platform to foster linkages between public authorities, cluster / industry associations and other service providers from India and Germany.

Currently, Germany is India’s largest European trading partner. The Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of both countries drive this success story. There is still vast potential for collaboration and a continuous knowledge exchange. However, the opportunities evolving out of it have not yet fully been taped. Intermediary aggregators such as chambers, industry associations and public service providers in this regard can act as important linkages to foster Indo-German exchange and experience sharing.

The first Indo-German SME Forum held last year, provided a platform for public authorities, cluster/industry associations and service providers from India and Germany to share knowledge and experiences. The second forum aims to spark momentum to take further steps to institutionalize this initiative as a regular platform for Indo-German SME exchange. In the long-run, it is envisioned to develop an agreement at the government-to-government level, form working groups at sectoral / thematic level - involving stakeholders from India and Germany - and set up a professional secretariat. Upcoming research, publications, conferences, workshops and exposure visits will be showcased under the umbrella of this forum.