As Germany looks to deepen its partnership with India, one question matters: How do you turn political ambition into lasting collaboration? The Indo-German Young Leaders Forum offers one compelling answer, knows Peter Paul Pratter in Issue #4 of his column „India Rising“.
India is becoming a crucial partner for Germany, but partnerships are not built through MoUs or policy papers, but honest and direct collaborations that organisations are trying to build and foster.
What is the Indo-German Young Leaders Forum?
The Indo-German Young Leaders Forum (IGYLF) is a non-profit organization that fosters dialogue and builds lasting relations between young leaders from both Germany and India through annual conferences and a strong network. What started 10 years ago by Dr. Maximilian von Laer and Dr. Vishnu Ramdeo developed into a large and highly diverse alumni network, and a leading organization in the Indo-German corridor.
My Connection and Role to IGYLF
Not even a year ago, I joined IGYLF as delegate in Delhi. It was an honour to be among “40 under 40” leaders from Germany and India, from all types of backgrounds and sectors. I built lasting friendships and memorable experiences during the conference, so when the IGYLF team asked if any alumni would like to support them in the future, I was happy to do so.
I joined as member of the team to give back to this community and help prepare and execute IGYLF 2026 in Berlin by sourcing locations, and running social media campaigns. It also provided the opportunity to join the discussions of this year’s young leader cohort.
What did IGYLF 2026 cover?
The program was proof of the organisation’s standing and included engaging discussions at
● German Bundestag (German parliament)
● Embassy of India, Berlin
● Federal Chancellery
● Academy of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
● Hertie School
● Rotes Rathaus (mayor of Berlin’s office)
and many other locations with business leaders, start-up founders, policy makers, researchers, and high level political representatives.
The conversations covered bilateral ties, India’s growing role in geopolitics, opportunities in trade, or the tech and innovation corridor overall and were therefore highly engaging and diverse. Decision-makers were often directly challenged on these issues to test their genuine willingness to strengthen German-Indian relations.
My Key Takeaways
Meeting this year’s cohort, some of whom I already knew through their work or through India Rising, reminded me of how much genuine interest and talent there is around closer cross-regional ties. But it remains to be recognized more broadly.
The conference has once again demonstrated how important organizations like the Indo-German Young Leaders Forum are. They create spaces where trust is built, ideas are exchanged, and long-term partnerships are forged. At the same time, such initiatives need more public attention. Platforms like theinder.net help raise the profile of the German-Indian corridor and connect the people behind it. That is exactly what I hope to contribute to with India Rising.
If I could make a wish, it would be for greater visibility and support for the organizations that are actively shaping the German-Indian corridor—and for more leaders and decision-makers to participate in this dialogue.
Pictures: Indo-German Young Leaders Forum, Photographs by Ksenia Yanko
Further resources: India Rising
Anm. d. Red.: Peter Paul Pratter ist Business- und Immobilienstratege, Gründer der Plattform „India Rising“ und seit 2026 Kolumnist bei theinder.net (Pressemitteilung).
