Saxony and Tamil Nadu Strengthen Saxon-Indian Cooperation
The German Federal State of Saxony and the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu are further expanding their cooperation. A high-level delegation from Tamil Nadu visited the Saxony State Ministry for Economic Affairs today, where a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed.
The goal is to strengthen cooperation in the areas of skilled labor recruitment, vocational training, and business. Saxony's State Secretary Sebastian Scheel welcomed the delegation and signed the MOU on behalf of the Minister of Economic Affairs, Dirk Panter.
Saxony’s Minister of Economic Affairs Dirk Panter stated: “India is a partner with enormous potential—both economically and in terms of labor market policy. With Tamil Nadu, we are building a partnership on equal footing that combines economic opportunities with a responsible skilled workforce policy. We are creating fair structures for training, qualification, and integration while simultaneously opening new markets for Saxon companies. In a changing global economy, strong partners are essential. The cooperation with Tamil Nadu helps Saxony seize new opportunities, share knowledge, and ensure economic stability.”
Thomas Horn, Managing Director of Saxony Trade & Invest Corp. (WFS), affirms: “With its dynamic economic development, the size of its market, the new free trade agreement, and its well-trained skilled workforce, India offers considerable potential for Saxon companies, which is also reflected in a noticeably increased interest from firms. Today’s agreement is an important step toward systematically tapping into further potential—both in terms of support for recruiting skilled workers and in establishing new sales and supplier relationships in this vast market of the future.”
The MOU creates a structured framework for joint projects in key future-oriented fields—ranging from skilled worker recruitment and training to integration into the labor market. Pilot projects in selected industries are planned, as well as collaborations between training institutions, government agencies, and companies. Today’s agreements build on close contacts established in recent years, which have been deepened through several delegation visits—most recently through Minister of Economic Affairs Panter’s visit to Chennai in 2025. In 2025, Saxon companies exported goods worth approximately 300 million euros to India. In light of geopolitical uncertainties and global trade conflicts, the diversification of sales markets and international partnerships is becoming increasingly important.
The exchange between Saxony and Tamil Nadu has thus developed into a sustainable, continuously growing partnership. With a population of around 80 million, Tamil Nadu is considered the industrial heartland of India and shares strengths comparable to Saxony’s in the mechanical engineering, automotive, textile, and semiconductor industries. For Saxony’s export-oriented economy, India is gaining further importance through the new free trade agreement with the EU.
With today’s agreement, Saxony is continuing its strategic course of systematically expanding international cooperation to combine economic stability, growth, and the securing of skilled workers in the long term.
Background
The agreement was concluded between the Free State of Saxony and the Indian partner organizations Overseas Manpower Corporation Limited (OMCL), Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC), and the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).
