As the global technology landscape undergoes rapid shifts, the partnership between India and Germany is assuming new significance—not just geopolitically, but technologically and economically. Against the backdrop of global supply chain disruptions, advances in digital infrastructures, and an urgent focus on resilience and sustainability, Indo-German collaboration stands out as a model for how nations can combine strengths to drive innovation.
Germany brings deep R&D expertise, proven technology transfer models, and advanced engineering to the table, while India offers fertile ground for industrial scaling, thanks to a booming market, a young talent pool, and growing appetite for advanced technologies.
One of the key voices at the forefront of this partnership is Prof. Dr. Albert Heuberger, Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), Spokesman of the Fraunhofer Microelectronics Group, and Chairman of the Research Fab Microelectronics Germany (FMD). An expert in cognitive sensor technologies for mobility, industry, and healthcare; communication technologies for IoT and 5G; and adaptive systems and digital transformation, Prof. Heuberger is leading the German delegation participating in the upcoming 7th Fraunhofer Innovation and Technology Platform (FIT) in New Delhi.
In this exclusive interview, Prof. Heuberger speaks about how India and Germany can join forces across microelectronics, semiconductors, and emerging fields like terahertz and optoelectronic technologies to shape the future of high-tech innovation.
Prof. Heuberger, how do you see the current Indo-German collaboration landscape, especially in microelectronics, semiconductors, and emerging technologies like terahertz and optoelectronics? What specific opportunities do you see for cooperation, and how can the two countries combine their strengths effectively?
The strategic partnership between India and Germany is highly relevant—not only geopolitically, but also technologically and economically. Given global supply chain challenges, rapid digital transformation, and growing demands for resilience and sustainability, joint innovation strategies are more essential than ever. Germany contributes deep R&D expertise, proven technology transfer models, and precision technology, while India offers an excellent platform for industrial scaling, thanks to its high-growth industry, young talent base, and strong application market.
Germany has decades of expertise in high-frequency technology, system integration, and terahertz research. These technological strengths align perfectly with India’s rising demand for high-performance connectivity, smart industrial systems, and scalable IoT solutions. There’s significant potential for innovation in areas like networked manufacturing, smart cities, and digital logistics.
Concrete examples include R&D partnerships between leading German institutes such as Fraunhofer, Leibniz, and the TU9 universities, and top Indian universities like the IITs and IISc. Together, they can develop future-oriented solutions in fields like 6G communication, energy-efficient edge computing, and sensor-based process monitoring.
Technology transfer through bilateral industrial cooperation is equally important. German companies and research organizations bring system and design expertise, while Indian partners offer rapid market access, production capabilities, and local application know-how. Establishing joint innovation centers and test environments— such as for high-speed wireless networks in industrial plants or smart traffic control— can further strengthen collaboration, ideally with public funding and involvement of start-ups, SMEs, and end users.
How does this collaboration extend specifically to MEMS technologies and manufacturing, and what role does workforce development play in ensuring successful cooperation?
Microelectromechanical systems, or MEMS, are crucial for modern sensor and control systems across sectors like automotive, medical technology, energy, and environmental monitoring. Germany leads in precision development, manufacturing, and quality control of MEMS, supported by strengths in materials research, microstructuring, and precision mechanical integration.
For India, there’s significant potential in localizing MEMS products to suit specific market requirements—for example, sensor systems for air quality monitoring, water analysis, infrastructure monitoring, or industrial automation. Establishing joint manufacturing capacities in India, backed by German expertise in process control, calibration, and packaging, can speed up industrialization of new designs while ensuring high quality.
Equally important is workforce development. Setting up training centers and targeted qualification programs is essential to equip Indian production personnel with state-of- the-art manufacturing methods and quality assurance practices. This ensures not just technology transfer but sustainable and high-quality production capabilities.
The “Lab to Fab” model has been a cornerstone of German innovation. How can India adapt this approach to commercialize semiconductor and MEMS innovations for global markets, and what support mechanisms are crucial in this process?
The German “Lab to Fab” model is an effective method for translating scientific findings into industrial value creation in a structured way. It combines applied research, industry-oriented infrastructure, and technology-neutral access, offering a clear path from research to production, especially for SMEs and start-ups.
For India, crucial steps may include establishing technology-neutral prototyping and transfer centers that provide small businesses, university spin-offs, and industry partners with affordable access to modern equipment, process knowledge, and testing facilities. This enables early MEMS and semiconductor designs to be verified and refined before moving into costly mass production.
Structured IP transfer between research institutions and industry, or via publicly supported licensing models will further fuel innovation. Institutions like Fraunhofer Venture or university transfer companies in Germany can serve as models. In addition, support for market validation and international certification helps open global markets for Indian innovations. Germany can contribute valuable experience in standardization, conformity testing, and quality management. German partners can also participate as mentors, co-investors, or technology advisors, including in publicly funded programs, to guide incremental scaling stages.
Regarding terahertz and optoelectronic technologies, what practical steps can Indo-German partnerships take to accelerate adoption and commercialization, and how important is scaling and skills development in this context?
Terahertz and optoelectronic technologies are critical enablers for future high-tech applications, ranging from contactless diagnostics and quality control to security solutions. Fraunhofer brings unique strengths in application-oriented research, industry-focused implementation, and global networking, which, when combined with India’s large and diverse application fields, can result in a highly effective innovation partnership.
We see opportunities for practical demonstration projects in India—for example, using terahertz technologies for inspecting pharmaceutical products, security screening in passenger transport, or production control in electronics manufacturing. Joint technology and transfer platforms—like Indo-German Innovation Labs or pilot application centers—can act as bridges between research, industry, and end-users, providing open access to infrastructure, expertise, and training resources.
Skills development is essential. We’re exploring targeted qualification programs to build expertise in terahertz and optoelectronic technologies across industry, research, and public institutions. Fraunhofer can contribute methodological and training expertise, while India brings its own linguistic, cultural, and sector-specific strengths. Moreover, scaling via Indian manufacturing networks presents tremendous opportunities, as technologies prototyped in Germany could be industrialized in India for high-volume, cost-sensitive global markets.