On March 24, 2025, the IR Office of IIT Roorkee hosted a high-profile delegation from Germany, including representatives from the University of Potsdam and BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, as well as esteemed participants from academia, government, and industry. The delegation physically included Prof. Oliver Günther, Ph.D., President of University of Potsdam; Prof. Katharina Schmitt, Director of the International Office, University of Potsdam; and Prof. Mareike Kunze, Head of International Relations Office, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. Joining the meeting virtually were Steffen Weber, Director General of Science and Research at the Ministry of Science, Research and Cultural Affairs, Federal State of Brandenburg; Dr. Vera Ziegeldorf, Senior Policy Officer for International Affairs (Science); Prof. Dr. habil. Wolfram Berger, Vice President for Internationalization, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg; Prof. Alexander Böker, Director of Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research in Potsdam; and Prof. Axel Bronstert, Professor of Hydrology and Climatology.
The delegation from India was led by Prof. K. K. Pant, Director of IIT Roorkee, and included key members such as Prof. V. C. Srivastava, Dean International Relations; Prof. Akshay Dvivedi, Dean Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy; Prof. Sairamudu Meka, Associate Dean Corporate Interactions; Prof. Sumit Sen and Prof. Ankit Agrawal, both from the Department of Hydrology. Prominent industry representatives were also present, including Shri Abhishek Gupta, President of Roorkee Small Scale Industries Association; Shri Murari Biyala, Director of Bhagwanpur Industries Association; CA Harindra K Garg, Chairman of SMAU International Industry & Trade Chambers; CA Varun Chandola, GM Promotion, Invest Uttarakhand; and Mr. Pulkit Garg, Managing Director, Manhari Corporation. Online participants included Dr. Ramanuj Banerjee, Counsellor (Science & Technology) at the Embassy of India, Berlin, and Mr. Raj Shekhar Joshi, Vice Chairman of Setu Aayog, Government of Uttarakhand.
The delegation convened for a board room meeting at the James Thomason Building. The discussions revolved around several key collaborative initiatives aimed at strengthening Indo-German relations. A proposal for the establishment of a Joint Skilling Center was discussed, focusing on sectors such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, medical electronics, and agricultural industries. The meeting also explored the formation of an Industry Liaisoning Office to foster Indo-German start-ups and bridge academic institutions, industries, and governmental bodies. Discussions on state-to-state joint academic programs emphasized student exchange, research collaborations, and mobility in fields like engineering, hydrology, and environmental science.
Focused research areas were identified, including Disaster Resilience & Early Warning Systems, Clean Energy & Hydrogen Economy, Drone & Digital Technologies, and Data Science & Artificial Intelligence. The formation of a Task Force to explore areas of mutual interest between Uttarakhand (India) and Brandenburg (Germany) was also agreed upon. The meeting culminated in the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) between the Government of Uttarakhand and the Government of Brandenburg, with IIT Roorkee and the University of Potsdam as key witnesses. This marked a significant milestone in reinforcing academic, research, and industrial ties between the two regions.