India Day - The Entrepreneur Forum
16.06.2026
Cologne
Please note: The event will take place in person format. Participation is chargable and spaces are linmited.
Limited Spots: Register Now!
Please register no later than June 9th 2026 using the form below.
/ Prepare Your India Market Entry.
Around 150 professionals and executives take part each year in our flagship India Day. Over time, the event has become a key fixture in the annual calendar of the India-focused business community, offering a clear and up-to-date overview of India’s economic, political, and social developments.
The business forum is designed for both newcomers to the Indian market and seasoned India experts. It delivers valuable insights through engaging panel discussions, exclusive best-practice presentations, and a distinctive platform for exchange and networking.
A must-attend event for entrepreneurs operating in an international context.
/ Accelerate Your Expansion in India
Accelerate your expansion in India with tailored guidance from local experts. Get clear, practical recommendations to reduce risk, move faster, and make confident decisions across your market entry strategy, company setup, tax and legal requirements, hiring and payroll, and ongoing operations.
- Identification, selection, and evaluation of distribution partners, customers, and suppliers
- Hosting of local Business Development managers
- Company formation, local representation & management
- Company acquisition (M&A)
- Legal framework conditions
- Market entry strategy
- Recruitment
- Payroll & HR services
- Accounting, payroll, and taxation
- Subsidiary audit / corporate health check
9:00 AM | Arrival & Registration
Objectives of the event & positioning Brazil as a growth market.
Speaker: Dr. Julian Bickmann, Attorney-at-law, Wagner Rechtsanwälte
9:30 AM | Opening Perspectives – Why India is now in the economic focus
Shuchita Kishore, Consul General, Indian Consulate General Frankfurt Dr. Nicole Grünewald , President, Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce Dr. Manfred Janssen CEO, CologneBusiness
10:00 AM | Keynote: India in a Changing World Order – Geopolitics, Economics and New Alliances
Peter Hornung, foreign correspondent and head of the ARD radio studio South Asia, New Delhi
10:30 AM | Panel: The EU-India Free Trade Agreement – Game changer for the economy and investments?
Dr. Katharina Berner, Deputy Head of Unit VD2 – Foreign Trade Policy South Asia, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Sonia Prashar Secretary General - Federation of European Business in India (FEBI) Peter Hornung, foreign correspondent and head of the ARD radio studio South Asia, New Delhi Oliver Wack Area Manager for East and South Asia, VDMA in Frankfurt am Main Moderator: Thomas Weidlich, Partner, Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH
11:15 AM | Networking Break
11:45 AM | Best Practice: Business Spotlight – Success Strategy of a German Company in India
Tanvir Ahmed Managing Director / Head International Business, Harbauer India
12:05 PM | Best Practice: Lessons Learned – Experiences and insights from WILO India
Tushar Sheel Head of Strategic Business, AMEA Region, WILO
12:25 PM | Best Practice: Four companies, many life cycles: DKMS' experiences in India
Claudia Homrighausen, Legal Counsel, DKMS Group gGmbH
12:45 PM | Lunch & Networking
2:00 PM | Best Practice: Scaling Manufacturing in India – Opportunities for German Industry
Ingo Soeller CEO & General Manager, TWE OBT Pvt. Ltd.
2:20 PM | Best Practice: From SME to Global Player – Growth through the Indian Market
Dr. hc. Mario Schmidt Managing Director, Lingel Group
2:40 PM | Panel: Doing Business in India – Market Opportunities, Market Entry and Success Factors
Tanvir Ahmed Managing Director / Head International Business, Harbauer India Dr. hc. Mario Schmidt Managing Director, Lingel Group Tushar Sheel Head of Strategic Business, AMEA Region, WILO Ingo Soeller CEO & General Manager, TWE OBT Pvt. Ltd. Moderator: Rüdiger Schröder, Senior Vice-President Projects, Altios Germany GmbH
3:30 PM | Networking Break
4:00 PM | Panel: Global Talent from India – Outsourcing of Business Processes to India
Konstantin Borek Group CEO, Borek Solutions Group Andreas Flach CFO, BearingPoint Oliver Gritz, Managing Partner, Ontegos Cloud Sonam Rohella Associate Director, Luther Corporate Services Pvt Ltd, India Moderator: Klaus Maier, Managing Partner, Altios Germany GmbH
4:45 PM | Impulse: Bundesliga Global – How sports markets are building new bridges to India
Julia Farr Senior Project Lead International Tours & Business Opportunities, Borussia Dortmund
5:15 PM | Closing & Networking
Kölsch, contacts & collaborations Ending the evening with Kölsch beer and snacks
/ What’s on the Program
A concise, high-impact program exploring why India matters now for European and German businesses. The agenda combines geopolitical and policy insights, updates on the EU–India FTA, and real-world best practices from German companies operating in India—covering market entry, manufacturing, scaling, and talent strategies. Networking throughout ensures practical takeaways and valuable business connections.
/ Key Partners
/ Location
Location: Wasserturm Hotel Cologne, Curio Collection by Hilton Kaygasse 2, 50676 Cologne