Discussion at the Bengaluru Tech Summit: Advancing digital cooperation between Germany and India

The event opened with welcome remarks from Murali Nair of Bertelsmann Stiftung, a representative of the iSPIRT Foundation, and Marius Rauschenbach, Counsellor for Transport and Digital at the German Embassy in New Delhi. The speakers underlined the importance of trusted and interoperable digital ecosystems. They reflected on the evolution of the Indo-German and EU-India digital cooperation. They also highlighted the relevance of the dialogue in the lead-up to the AI Summit in Delhi in February 2026.

Panel: How to advance digital interoperability

The moderated panel focused on advancing digital interoperability and responsible innovation. Participants shared best practices of existing collaboration in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure and sustainability technologies. They discussed a central aspect for digital interoperability: cross-border data sharing.

A trusted and secure flow of data can strengthen research and development, and the deployment of AI solutions. Challenges currently are related to differing data regulation and technical standards. They stressed the need for closer alignment between policymakers, industry and academia.

Roundtable: Planning joint initiatives

Following the panel, the format shifted to a closed-door roundtable. Selected participants shared practical experiences from the ongoing digital cooperation between Germany, the EU and India. The exchange enabled a candid discussion on existing barriers and emerging opportunities. Participants outlined priorities and joint initiatives that could be taken forward ahead of the AI Summit 2026.

The session concluded with a summary of key takeaways and proposed follow-up actions. The discussion reaffirmed the shared commitment of Germany and India to a human-centric digital governance and laid the groundwork for deeper and more structured cooperation.