Indian Ambassador to Germany Ajit Vinayak Gupte has said Germany has emerged as a major destination for Indians within the European Union, with a sharp increase in the Indian diaspora and the number of Indian students enrolling in German universities.
Speaking to NDTV, Gupte said the Indian diaspora in Germany had grown rapidly, particularly over the past six to seven years. The community currently numbers around 3,32,000, in addition to approximately 70,000 people of Indian origin who have acquired German citizenship, he said.
Over the past two years, more than 60,000 Indians have moved to Germany annually, according to the ambassador. Many are young people who pursue higher education at German universities and subsequently secure jobs in the country.
In 2014, the Indian community in Germany numbered around 50,000, marking a significant increase over the past decade, Gupte said.
Indian Students In Germany Reach 70,000
Explaining why Germany has become an attractive destination for Indian students, Gupte said the number of Indian students in the country had doubled from around 25,000 six years ago to 50,000 in 2024. The latest figure for this year stands at approximately 70,000, he added.
He attributed this growth partly to the availability of a wide range of courses and the relatively low tuition fees charged by German public universities.
According to Gupte, tuition fees at some German state universities are as low as 750 euros per semester, or 1,500 euros a year. Part-time work opportunities also help students manage their living and education expenses, he said.
Learning German can further improve students’ employment prospects, he added, noting that the country faces demographic challenges, with an average population age of around 45 years. This, he said, creates employment opportunities for Indian graduates.
Germany-India Investment Ties Strengthen
Speaking about efforts to strengthen business ties between Germany and India, Gupte described Germany as an important investor in India.
According to Indian statistics, German investment in India has reached $15 billion, while German figures put the total at $28 billion, including reinvested earnings, he said.
“Over the past two years, we have made extensive efforts, and the Embassy has organised numerous events. The entire world views India as a fast-growing economy with an expanding middle class and a massive consumer market,” Gupte said.
He added that German companies had announced investment decisions worth $7.4 billion over the past two years. These investments are expected to flow into India over the coming years, with a significant portion already having arrived, he said.
Investment prospects could improve further once the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) comes into effect, Gupte added.
Indian businesses have also established a presence in Germany, with around 200 Indian companies operating in the country, he said.
Why Indian Students Choose Germany For Research
Indian students and researchers in Germany cited research opportunities, funding, affordable education, and employment prospects as key reasons for choosing the country.
Angel Joseph, a postdoctoral researcher at Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin), said the university offered opportunities to pursue research, access grants, and develop startup ideas. She also highlighted the support available for research and entrepreneurship as factors attracting Indian students.
Another student said many German universities offer tuition-free or low-cost education, while research funding makes it easier for students to pursue academic work without facing prohibitive costs.
Students also pointed to Germany’s post-study employment opportunities. One student said obtaining a post-study work visa was relatively straightforward, while learning German was important for entering the professional workforce.
A student from Kerala, who is pursuing a PhD after working on a research project in Germany, said the ease of conducting research and access to social security and other benefits for researchers had influenced her decision to stay in the country.
Students Seek Better Research Opportunities In India
When asked what India needs to do to encourage researchers studying abroad to return, one student referred to the Prime Minister’s Research Chair (PMRC) Scheme, which aims to attract distinguished Indian-origin researchers, scientists, and professionals with international research experience to strengthen the country’s higher education and research ecosystem.
However, she said the scheme’s limited number of positions and subject coverage could restrict its reach. She called for expanding the range of disciplines covered, particularly in basic sciences, and increasing the number of available positions.
The student said that offering only 120 positions was insufficient compared with the approximately 70,000 Indian students studying in Germany. She suggested increasing the number of positions to at least 1,000 to provide more researchers with an opportunity to return.
Students said they would consider returning to India if they could access comparable facilities, funding and research opportunities. However, they cited limited opportunities and difficulties in conducting research as major obstacles.
One student said research projects in Germany are often funded for an initial period of three years, encouraging researchers to work towards completing them within that timeframe, or within four years at most. In India, similar research may take five years or even seven to eight years, she said, identifying lengthy completion timelines as one reason students seek opportunities abroad.
Another student said inadequate funding and laboratory infrastructure were major challenges in India. She also highlighted barriers between the research, design, and manufacturing stages, calling for government support to streamline these processes and help researchers turn their ideas into viable products and businesses.
Students said better funding, infrastructure, and institutional support could encourage more Indian researchers to return home.
The Union Commerce Minister, meanwhile, assured that the government was open to helping Indian students and researchers return to India.
