Lower Thirds: 

0:02 Report Sami Behbehani
Ferdinand Schlechta, Project Manager, India Competence Center Düsseldorf
Sushrut Lugani, Entrepreneur and Board Member of the German-Indian Society, Düsseldorf

((info: Some 86 Indian-owned companies have now established operations in Germany. Together, they generate annual sales of more than 16 billion Euros and employ approximately 40,000 people worldwide. About half of these companies are headquartered in Düsseldorf. The city on the Rhine river is actively courting Indian investors, and many of these companies are now hoping for an additional boost from a planned free trade agreement between the EU and India.))

Script: 

The city of Düsseldorf has become a magnet for Indian companies – there are now around 40 of them. Behind the boom is growing economic cooperation between India and Germany -- which also stands to benefit from the E-U trade deal.

The India Competence Center at the Düsseldorf Chamber of Industry and Commerce supports both German companies in India and Indian subsidiaries in Düsseldorf. Project manager Ferdinand Schlechta sees India as an increasingly important economic partner.

+++SOT Ferdinand Schlechta, Project Manager, India Competence Center Düsseldorf+++
"India is a classic service-based economy, so that's where many top Indian companies can be found. But overall, the Indian economy is becoming more diversified; we also have a focus on manufacturing, industry, and exports."

Sushrut Lugani was one of the first Indian entrepreneurs in the city. For decades, his family business supplied the fashion retailer C&A. He hopes the trade deal will open up opportunities, but sees hurdles.

+++SOT Sushrut Lugani, Entrepreneur and Board Member of the German-Indian Society, Düsseldorf+++
"Tariffs are just one aspect. We have a lot of regulations here in Europe, and many small and medium-sized companies can't comply with them. That's another kind of trade barrier, and it needs to be removed so that free trade can truly happen."

Back at the design studio. Here, the CEO hopes the free trade agreement will boost sales. He plans to double the number of employees in India to 140 this year. They'll develop AI systems for fashion design and market analysis. The company also plans to double its current purchases in India.