German Indian Innovation Summit (GIIC) 2025

Day one of the GIIC Summit set an ambitious tone under the banner “Germany + India for the World – A 10 Year Mission.” The program opened with a welcome from Indian Ambassador Ajit Gupte and a keynote by Dinesh Khara, former Chairman of the State Bank of India, before moving into a series of lightning talks showcasing cross-continental innovation from drone technologies to deep-space exploration. The morning’s Spotlight Dialogues brought industry leaders like Michael Peter (Siemens Mobility), Dr. Björn Bernhard (Rheinmetall), Axel Denitz (Bosch Business Innovation), and Jörg Müller (Volkswagen India) together with counterparts from India to debate emerging models of innovation and collaboration.

The afternoon shifted gears with a Fusion Showcase blending art, technology, and humanity, followed by action panels across three stages covering everything from health tech and cyber-security to industry 4.0, leadership, and venture capital. Parallel sessions featured the Collective Futures 2045 Workshop and startup pitches, underlining the summit’s emphasis on foresight and fresh solutions. The day closed with the session “How does a joint future 2035 look like?” and wrapped up with Bollywood-themed networking. Day one captured the spirit of the summit: cross-border dialogue, creative experimentation, and a shared commitment to shaping innovation for global impact.