In an exclusive conversation with IANS on Monday, Schulze, who is leading a delegation of around 20 representatives, emphasized the growing importance of India's participation in solving global challenges and the potential for collaboration between India and Germany, particularly in the fields of renewable energy and skilled labor.
"We want to bring a joint force from India and Germany. We have the technical knowledge and we can bring it to this market. We invest early in green energy and we have the technical expertise," Schulze said.
He noted that solar energy is a key area of focus for both nations. "Solar panels are one of the important aspects we want to focus on. We cannot limit ourselves to just one player, and India is the second largest producer of solar panels."
Schulze's visit comes as Germany strengthens its partnership with India under the Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development, signed in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
During his visit, Schulze will represent Germany at the RE-INVEST renewable energy investor conference, organized by India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). This year's partner country, Germany, is looking forward to further collaborating with India on renewable energy and other sustainability goals.
At the heart of the visit is a renewed focus on green shipping. "Green shipping is another aspect we want to focus on, referring to India," mentioned Schulze, underlining the importance of sustainable practices in the maritime industry.
Schulze also spoke about gender equality and women's empowerment in the energy sector, highlighting that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's administration promotes women in leadership roles. "Olaf is a feminist. He promotes women at work. We have a network of women in the energy sector. This is a job for powerful women."
The conference attracted more than 10,000 participants, including key figures from government, industry and finance. As India plans to expand its renewable energy capacity, particularly solar, Germany is willing to collaborate in this transition. Germany currently has more than 2,000 companies operating in India, 200 of which are solely in the energy sector. The world's largest solar park in Gujarat has attracted great interest from German investors.
Schulze further highlighted the critical role of India's young workforce, particularly in addressing the skilled labor shortage in Germany. "The average age in India is 20 years and in Germany it is 40 years. Therefore, we also consider India as a qualified workforce for German companies. We offer a lot of vocational training, which helps both countries."
Germany is expected to hire 7 million qualified professionals by 2035, with a significant portion expected to come from India. According to the Employment Research Institute (IAB), the country will need millions of skilled workers to meet its growing labor demands. The German Labor Minister highlighted the high demand for Indian professionals, recognizing India as a key source to fill critical skills gaps in Germany's workforce.
With the shared goal of reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development, India and Germany are aligned on many fronts. Schulze's visit aims to deepen this cooperation and explore new opportunities for collaboration. "The German Ministry of Development has been working for many years to develop the renewable energy market in India and improve the investment environment. German companies have benefited from this good reputation and these investments, and will continue to benefiting. This follows from the great interest of the German private sector in this conference," he stated.
"We want to bring a joint force from India and Germany. We have the technical knowledge and we can bring it to this market. We invest early in green energy and we have the technical expertise," Schulze said.
He noted that solar energy is a key area of focus for both nations. "Solar panels are one of the important aspects we want to focus on. We cannot limit ourselves to just one player, and India is the second largest producer of solar panels."
Schulze's visit comes as Germany strengthens its partnership with India under the Indo-German Partnership for Green and Sustainable Development, signed in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
During his visit, Schulze will represent Germany at the RE-INVEST renewable energy investor conference, organized by India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). This year's partner country, Germany, is looking forward to further collaborating with India on renewable energy and other sustainability goals.
At the heart of the visit is a renewed focus on green shipping. "Green shipping is another aspect we want to focus on, referring to India," mentioned Schulze, underlining the importance of sustainable practices in the maritime industry.
Schulze also spoke about gender equality and women's empowerment in the energy sector, highlighting that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's administration promotes women in leadership roles. "Olaf is a feminist. He promotes women at work. We have a network of women in the energy sector. This is a job for powerful women."
The conference attracted more than 10,000 participants, including key figures from government, industry and finance. As India plans to expand its renewable energy capacity, particularly solar, Germany is willing to collaborate in this transition. Germany currently has more than 2,000 companies operating in India, 200 of which are solely in the energy sector. The world's largest solar park in Gujarat has attracted great interest from German investors.
Schulze further highlighted the critical role of India's young workforce, particularly in addressing the skilled labor shortage in Germany. "The average age in India is 20 years and in Germany it is 40 years. Therefore, we also consider India as a qualified workforce for German companies. We offer a lot of vocational training, which helps both countries."
Germany is expected to hire 7 million qualified professionals by 2035, with a significant portion expected to come from India. According to the Employment Research Institute (IAB), the country will need millions of skilled workers to meet its growing labor demands. The German Labor Minister highlighted the high demand for Indian professionals, recognizing India as a key source to fill critical skills gaps in Germany's workforce.
With the shared goal of reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable development, India and Germany are aligned on many fronts. Schulze's visit aims to deepen this cooperation and explore new opportunities for collaboration. "The German Ministry of Development has been working for many years to develop the renewable energy market in India and improve the investment environment. German companies have benefited from this good reputation and these investments, and will continue to benefiting. This follows from the great interest of the German private sector in this conference," he stated.