Just attended a colourful evening in the Indian Consulate in Munich where my own India story began. Back in 2003 when I had a dream and a business plan to move to India, it was exactly this Consulate General that provided me with the critical guidance. Information about the country, the regulatory environment, practical advise on company-establishment, apostille for foundation-documents and last but not least the visa. I felt already 6 years back that the consulate provided an outright proactive “service” to help me execute on my plan, far beyond the level of expectation.
Therefore, it was almost something like “back to the future” when I gratefully accepted the invitation to tonight’s function which was an initiative of the Consul General and Mohammad Rehan to bring together the Indian community in Munich. Community in the broadest sense of the word: Obviously Indians in Munich, but also Germans and other nationals from Munich who are dealing with India in the professional context. Anup Mudgal, the Consul General and host of the evening, expressed his confidence that no matter which results will turn out of the general election on Monday, India was firmly set to maintain its course of economic openness.
Mr. Mudgal put India in its historic context of century-old openness towards other cultures which I feel are indeed a coining tenet of even daily life on the subcontinent. Whenever India was geared to openness and freedom, it succeeded, Mr Mudgal said. India has indeed fostered long-standing relations with Europe, where Germany has been one of the most important trade partners in terms of trade volume and investment. Siemens for instance helped build the first telephone line between Kolkata and Europe.
All in all, a good opportunity to bring together the ties of globalization from the “other end” in Munich, which used to be my own starting point before I “changed the side”. Likewise, I met an Indian entrepreneur tonight who set up his company in Munich. It is touching to witness how in parallel to cherished local cultures, there is indeed more and more emerging something like an inclusive globalized culture in our world.
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