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For decades, Hamburg has played a significant role in the Indo-German trade and economic relations. The Port of Hamburg is the leading container port of Europe with respect to sea trade with India and as of 2019, accounts for 73.8% of the total maritime trade volume between India and Germany.

Over 700 companies from Hamburg trade with or do business in India, and several have also set up shop here. On the other hand, the interest of Indian companies eyeing Hamburg as a business location is also steadily growing. Already, there are around 50 Indian companies – like Tata Consultancy Services – who have established a presence in the metropolitan region of Hamburg.

While there is vast potential for cooperation and collaboration between the two countries, setting up business and other networks in India is very different compared to Germany. Thick bureaucracy, a complex taxation system, language, political and cultural barriers and a lack of skilled workers, are just some of the barriers that come in the way of fully utilising this network.

Precisely for this reason, the Hamburg Representation office in Mumbai (HRM) was opened in 2011, making it easier for Hamburg companies to enter the Indian market and vice versa. An important activity of the Representative is to promote the City of Hamburg in India and support the mutual economic, cultural and academic exchange between the two countries. Lea Miram who works at the Hamburg Representation as the Hamburg Business Manager explains, “an essential part of our work lies in realistic expectation management. Setting reachable targets in correspondence to the local circumstances can avoid serious frustration and disappointment on both sides.”

In this context, the Representation acts as a mediator between the two regions to initiate and strengthen business contacts and consult on practical matters for both sides, particularly in the fields medical technology, logistics, maritime industry, vocational education and training - which are some of the core industrial sectors in Hamburg. Peter Deubet, who is the Deputy Director General of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and also leads the Hamburg Representation Mumbai, notes, “India’s importance is constantly increasing, and not just from an economic point of view. With a direct presence in Mumbai, we are in a position to upgrade the positive synergetic effects of mutual trade between India and Hamburg.”

The Representation is ​​sponsored and supported by the Hamburg Senate Chancellery, Port Hamburg Marketing e.V., the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Hamburg Invest and Hamburg Messe and Congress. Moreover, as part of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce in Mumbai, the Hamburg Representation benefits from an excellent network as well as expertise.

The Indo-Hamburg connection is strengthened through several events and delegation trips that the Hamburg Representation Mumbai is part of, such as the India Week Hamburg, the European Commission’s International Urban Cooperation (UIC) partnership between Hamburg and the Municipality of Vijayawada and delegation visits to the WindEnergy and SMM – an international exhibition and conference event for the maritime industry. In February 2020, the HRM welcomed to Hamburg a 65-people delegation from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in Delhi to discuss mutual aspects of international trade and logistics. According to Lea Miram, “personal interactions and onsite experiences are the glue that bind our Indo-Hamburg relations. It is a pleasure to host these young people, show them the fascination of Hamburg and see our relations growing.”

In addition to this, the Representation has also planned to launch the Mumbai Hamburg Business Forum (MHBF). The aim of this event will be to strengthen the cooperation between companies and institutions from Hamburg and India, and to create a platform for exchange and identification of synergies in the future. The first MHBF is currently in the planning stage, and will take place every two years alternately in Mumbai and Hamburg.

With a diverse range of tasks under its belt, the HRM is the main point of contact for relations between Hamburg and India. In 2021, the Representation completed ten years of establishment and has been a significant contributor in furthering the relations between the Hanseatic City and India. Looking ahead, the HRM team is innovation scouting across the two regions in order to identify and bring forth novel ideas and partnerships.

For further details about the Hamburg Representation Mumbai, please visit their website hamburgmumbai.com