Piyush Goyal to lead about 100 Indian businesses and startups to Germany and the Netherlands

Compiled from reports by ThePrint and Pragativadi. See the original articles linked below.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is set to travel to Germany and the Netherlands from October 22 to 27, 2026, accompanied by a business delegation, according to reports published on October 21. ThePrint, carrying a Press Trust of India report, said about 100 business leaders will join the trip. Pragativadi described the group as about 100 Indian businesses and startups.

Both outlets say the purpose is to strengthen economic partnerships and raise trade and investment between India and the two European countries.

Germany, October 22 to 24

Pragativadi reported that Goyal will speak at the Berlin Global Dialogue. ThePrint reported that he will meet international policymakers and business leaders in Berlin, and will hold bilateral talks with Germany's economy minister and with an economic adviser at the Federal Chancellery.

According to ThePrint, discussions are expected to cover clean technology, green mobility, advanced engineering and market access linked to the continuing negotiations on a free trade agreement between India and the European Union. Pragativadi added that industrial cooperation and technology collaboration are on the agenda.

The business delegation has its own programme in the German capital. Pragativadi said it includes sector roundtables with German chief executives in areas such as automotive, IT, artificial intelligence, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and renewable energy. ThePrint said an investment roundtable with Germany Trade and Invest is also planned.

The Netherlands, October 24 to 27

In The Hague, Goyal will hold government-to-government meetings, ThePrint reported. It named the Dutch ministers for economic affairs and climate, and for foreign trade and development cooperation, as his counterparts, with talks centred on wider trade and green transition initiatives.

Pragativadi reported that the delegation will visit the Port of Rotterdam on October 25 to look at logistics and supply chain infrastructure. On October 26, Goyal and the Dutch trade minister are due to address the India-Netherlands Business Forum, which will be followed by sector roundtables and business-to-business networking, the outlet said.

Trade background

ThePrint's report included figures on both relationships. It said trade between India and Germany grew about 5 per cent to 31 billion dollars in 2025-26, with a trade deficit for India. Germany is India's largest trading partner in the European Union and its tenth-largest investor, and more than 2,000 German companies operate in India, according to the report.

For the Netherlands, ThePrint said bilateral trade fell 16.2 per cent to 23.26 billion dollars in 2025-26, with a trade surplus for India. It described the Netherlands as India's fifth-largest investor and its biggest export destination in Europe, with more than 300 Dutch companies present in India.

The report also said India and the EU concluded a free trade agreement in January. It is expected to be signed in December and could take effect in the first quarter of next year, according to ThePrint.

Sources

This article was compiled with AI assistance from the reports listed above and reviewed by GMA before publishing.