Hardly anyone in Germany has ever heard about Surat. Although it is one of the ten largest cities in India. It is a textile and carpet manufacturing centre. This is where about 92 percent of all gem diamonds in the world are cut. The city is prosperous, the administration fully digitized. However, it’s real economic power remains invisible – as it shares the fate of the usually faceless Indian cities.

The city is a gem for German companies, especially for SMEs. Because the local economy is very keen to open the city to new industries. It has a high density of wealthy industrialists in search of appropriate investment opportunities. They are confident because their continuous economic success confirms their business strategies. They are conservative, yet open to new ideas. And: they want to be convinced.

On September 13, 2016, SRITA HEIDE INTERNATIONAL (SHI) has organized the first “Indo-German Business Talk” in cooperation with The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI). SGCCI president B. S. Agrawal was pleased to see the interest of the German delegation in Surat and expressed his belief that the stronger relationship between entrepreneurs from Surat and Germany is a promising start for future cooperation. The speakers Dr. Hubert Reilard (President of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce), Hartmut Wurster (Country Manager of the German Architects firm “Blocher Blocher” with offices in Ahmedabad) and Chetan Sheth of Linde Engineering fully agreed.

“Major economic centres like Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore have reached their capacity limits,” said SHI CEO Srita Heide. “Now is the time to discover ‘Hidden Champions’ such as Surat that not only offer enormous potential for foreign companies, but long since have started to build a strong business location.” This is especially true since it’s transport infrastructure isn’t in a bad condition: The airport was modernized in 2015, the city can easily be reached by train, and the German Federal Minister of Transport should take the condition of the highway between Gujarat’s capital Ahmedabad and Surat as a model.

Please contact SRITA HEIDE INTERNATIONAL for more information on business opportunities or business contacts in Surat:

Germany: Phone +49-6051-91640-0 / office@heide-international.com

India: Phone: +91-7940099415 / shi@heide-international.com