India

India’s Piyush Goyal Highlights Germany’s Demand for 90,000+ Indian Workers

By HT News Desk

At the ISID‑IDRA Fourth National Conference in New Delhi, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Germany needs at least 90,000 Indian workers each year. He recalled a conversation with the German foreign minister, who replied that Germany’s demand is “far more” than that. Goyal noted a shift in how Indians are perceived abroad, describing a 360‑degree change from past attitudes.

The remarks come amid a growing Indian diaspora in Germany. Indian student enrolment rose 17.5% to 69,816 in the winter semester of 2025‑26, making Indians the largest international student group in the country, according to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) India and The PIE News. This represents an increase of nearly 10,400 students from the previous year. Germany’s total university student population stands at 2.86 million, including 516,820 international students, about 18% of the total. Indian students account for 13.5% of the international cohort and 2.4% of all university students.

The DAAD India noted the growing Indian presence as evidence of strengthening academic and scientific ties, with students attracted by Germany’s low cost of education, research opportunities, and international career prospects. Most public universities charge no tuition fees, though semester contributions and occasional tuition charges apply.

In a separate address in Berlin, Goyal identified sectors such as handicrafts, handlooms, culinary arts and tourism as potentially “AI‑proof” professions. He said the commerce ministry is working to identify such professions to prepare India’s youth for technological changes and to harness their skills.

The statements were made by the HT News Desk, which reports on political, economic, and social developments worldwide.