Uttar Pradesh, Germany exploring biz, investment ties

Uttar Pradesh today moved to turn its Frankfurt partnership with Germany into a concrete global growth platform, launching a structured Indo-German Gateway to prepare up to 20 MSMEs and startups for entry into German and wider European markets.

The initiative is expected to strengthen exports, investment, technology partnerships and supply-chain integration while positioning Uttar Pradesh as an increasingly competitive destination for global business.

A high-level German delegation comprising representatives of the German Indian Business Alliance (GIBA) and Innovation Hub RheinMain visited Lucknow to engage with the Yogi Adityanath government.

They sought to advance the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchanged between Invest UP and GIBA in Frankfurt on February 23, 2026, in the presence of UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The delegation reviewed progress under the Frankfurt MoU and explored its implementation across MSMEs, startups, innovation, manufacturing, IT and electronics, civil aviation and other emerging sectors.

The delegation comprised Raunheim Mayor David Rendel, Innovation Hub RheinMain CEO Stephan Wittekind, GIBA CEO Nirmal Raman Kannaiyan and GIBA Chairman Selvakumar Periasamy.

Uttar Pradesh and the German Indian Business Alliance (GIBA) signed MoUs with the Directorate of Industries and Enterprise Promotion to expand global market access for MSMEs.

The Indo-German Gateway Programme establishes a structured framework to help export-ready enterprises build a credible presence in Germany and Europe.

An upcoming Indo German MSME and Export Facilitation Desk will guide local units on investment, technology collaboration, and business opportunities.

The partnership also supports modernising the Ghaziabad Common Facility Centre with German precision engineering expertise.

Joint workshops will cover EU trade rules, import standards, export documentation, and sustainability, aligning with state initiatives such as ODOP, MSME Policy 2022, and Market Development Assistance, while maximising opportunities from the proposed India-EU Free Trade Agreement.

The main development is the creation of a structured Indo-German mechanism designed to move the Frankfurt MoU beyond institutional cooperation and deliver direct market access, technology partnerships and business opportunities for enterprises from Uttar Pradesh.

UP Principal Secretary, MSME and Export Promotion, Shashi Lal Bhushan, said 2026 was a landmark year, marking 75 years of India-Germany diplomatic relations and 25 years of their Strategic Partnership.

Germany remains India's leading trading partner within the European Union, while more than 2,000 German companies operate in India, creating significant opportunities for enterprises from Uttar Pradesh.

“This MoU must now translate into practical business outcomes. Our focus is to prepare capable MSMEs and startups for international markets and build long-term commercial partnerships,” Bhushan said.

Under the proposed Indo-German GIFT Programme, a pilot cohort of 12 to 20 carefully selected enterprises will follow a structured 12-month pathway covering enterprise assessment, pre-entry preparation, German market validation, market establishment and post-entry support.

Enterprises will be selected on the basis of export readiness, potential in European markets, financial capacity, management commitment and regulatory preparedness.

Mayor David Rendel stressed the importance of a clear institutional framework, with Innovation Hub RheinMain serving as the German landing platform, GIBA coordinating industry engagement and Invest UP providing government facilitation and investor support.

Meanwhile, Maurya called for bilateral partnerships to translate into concrete projects, investments and measurable business outcomes.

He highlighted Uttar Pradesh's extensive industrial land bank, more than 36 sectoral policies and investor-friendly ecosystem, and urged deeper engagement by German companies across priority sectors.

During its meeting with UP IT & Electronics Minister Sunil Kumar Sharma, the German delegation explored opportunities in technology and manufacturing.

The Minister highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s rapid startup growth — from two incubators in 2017 to over 24,000 today — alongside expansion in electronics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and advanced manufacturing.

UP MSME Minister Bhupendra Chaudhary highlighted the state's improving logistics network, investor incentives and the MSME Policy 2022. He assured the delegation of full government support through planned MSME parks and plotted factory infrastructure, along with transparent land allotment mechanisms through the GeM portal.

A separate meeting was also held with Nikhil Tikaram Funde, Special Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office and Director, Civil Aviation, where the German delegation engaged at Invest UP to explore aviation opportunities, future technology collaborations, and industry partnerships.

Nearly 14% of India's total MSMEs are based in Uttar Pradesh, and approximately 10 million MSME units are operating in the state.

After agriculture, the MSME sector is the largest generator of employment.

Today, the bilateral trade between India and Germany stands at roughly $31 billion.

Germany accounts for 19.8% of UP's total exports to the European Union.

Uttar Pradesh exports goods worth more than $404 million annually to Germany, with readymade garments, leather products, footwear, carpets and auto components being the major items.

UP's total exports have crossed $18.2 billion Euros, equivalent to around Rs 2 trillion, and the state has become the fifth-largest exporting state in India.

The Indo-German Gateway Program is a structured 12-month program being implemented in cooperation with Germany's Innovation Hub Rhein-Main and GIBA.

Under this program, selected MSMEs and startups will receive assistance in establishing legal companies in Germany, understanding the market there, and connecting directly with foreign buyers.

The delegation also discussed joint projects in areas such as precision engineering, automation, electric vehicles, solar energy, and recycling.

Meanwhile, Chaudhary invited German entrepreneurs to the 4th UP International Trade Show, to be held in Greater Noida during September 25 to 29.

He noted this partnership would provide a strong foundation for long-term cooperation in trade, technology, investment, and skills. In the first phase, units with the potential for global expansion will be identified.

UP okays food processing projects of Rs 200 crore

To link the agricultural sector directly with the market, the Uttar Pradesh government has cleared 14 food processing projects totalling more than Rs 200 crore.

The approved private projects encompass an array of farm segments including vegetables, horticulture, dairy, poultry etc.

These projects will be developed in major industrial and commercial hubs of Varanasi, Meerut, Kanpur, Lucknow, Lakhimpur Kheri, Bareilly, Ayodhya, Rampur etc.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said food processing holds immense potential for augmenting the farm income and generating large-scale employment opportunities.

He has directed officials to create awareness about the subsidies being provided under the Uttar Pradesh Food Processing Industry Policy 2023 so that more enterprises could be established.

The Yogi Adityanath is dexterously promoting food processing so that farmers receive better prices due to an enriched agricultural value chain.

The state has received food processing proposals pertaining to namkeen and sweets production; frozen vegetable processing; culinary herbs; milk powder, desi ghee, paneer, and whey powder production; spice units; ready-to-cook products (pre-mix dalia and khichdi); poultry feed units etc.

The approved processing units will procure raw materials from local farmers and livestock producers.

The investors are also mandated to submit a list of 100 farmers or dairy producers from whom raw materials will be purchased to qualify for the incentives.

The Yogi government envisions establishing 75,000 new food processing units in Uttar Pradesh, which currently has a network of roughly 65,000 food processing units across 75 districts.

With rising global demand, countries such as the US, Bangladesh, the UAE and Vietnam are increasingly importing Indian processed food items.

UP's agri economy has leaped three-folds in the last eight years. Compared to UP agricultural sector’s Gross State Value Added (GSVA) of Rs 2 trillion in the financial year 2016-17, the corresponding GSVA jumped to Rs 7 trillion in 2024-25.

The Yogi government is targetting to propel the UP agriculture and allied activities to contribute $1 trillion to the state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) by 2047.

UP to develop Singapore, Japan investment zones

Uttar Pradesh will develop exclusive investment zones in Greater Noida for big Singapore and Japan companies.

The state government is planning to acquire almost 1,000 acres of industrial land for big ticket investors from the two developed Asian economies.

The land acquisition would be done by the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) near the upcoming Noida International Airport (NIA).

YEIDA has proposed to develop two dedicated investment enclaves titled 'Singapore City' and 'Japan City' across 500 acres each in Gautam Buddha Nagar district.

Each enclave will cater to investors from their respective countries in an array of industries and domains.

Earlier, YEIDA sent a formal proposal to the Uttar Pradesh government for the development of the two exlusive cities.

Last month, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath led a high-level delegation to these Asian economic giants on a four-day official tour.

He spent two days each in Singapore and Japan, holding investor roadshows and confabulating with leading investors and industrial groups.

His tour fetched investment proposals to the tune of Rs 2.5 trillion from Singapore and Japan.

Moreover, Memorandum of understanding (MoUs) totalling Rs 1.5 trillion were also signed in the two countries, which is expected to boost UP's target to become India's first $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Key investment sectors spanned agricultural machinery, automobiles, semiconductors, data centers, green hydrogen, power-to-gas, compressed biogas, ESDM, logistics and warehousing.

In Japan, UP signed MoUs with Kubota Corporation, Spark Minda (in collaboration with Toyo Denso), Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Nagase & Co etc.

The UP government held meetings with Suzuki Motor Corporation, Honda, Konoike Transport Co, Mitsui & Co, Rapidus Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, Sumitomo Realty & Development Co, MUFG Bank etc.

To promote green energy, a Green Hydrogen Centre of Excellence (CoE) will be set up in UP in collaboration with the University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi Hydrogen Company, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, Harcourt Butler Technical University (HBTU) and IIT BHU.

The 'Japan Desk' at 'Invest UP' will be strengthened, with direct monitoring by the UP Chief Minister’s Office.

Japan will support technology transfer, skill development, joint ventures and supply-chain integration in UP’s MSME sector.

By linking the globally significant Buddhist Circuit and Ramayana Circuit in UP, the spiritual, cultural and heritage tourism will be promoted.

Meanwhile, Yogi's Singapore visit resulted in pacts for cooperation in MRO, cargo hubs, semiconductors, data centers, logistics, skilling and fintech.

UP targets pulses crop area of 3 million hectares

Pursuing a farm strategy to augment production of cash crops, the Uttar Pradesh government is targetting to increase the pulses crop area by 20 percent to more than 3 million tonnes (MT).

Against the pulses’ acreage of 2.56 MT in 2024-25, the state is looking at an acreage of almost 3.1 MT in 2025-26.

The average productivity of pulses in Uttar Pradesh is more than 12 quintals (100 kg) per hectare, which is significantly higher than the national average of 9.26 quintals per hectare.

Uttar Pradesh is among the top pulses producers in India. It ranked 4th in 2024–25 with a production of 3.08 million tonnes (MT), which is roughly 12 percent of the country's aggregate pulses production of 25.68 MT.

India is among the world's largest producers and consumers of pulses, yet it imports 15 to 20 percent of its annual demand to overcome production shortfall.

In the financial year 2024-25, imports jumped to over 7 MT, primarily from Canada, Russia, Australia, Myanmar, Africa etc.

Meanwhile, the Yogi Adityanath government has accorded emphasis to the distribution of high-quality seeds under the Pulses Self-Reliance Mission.

In 2025–26, more than 105,000 quintals of certified seeds were distributed under different schemes.

Under the free seed minikit scheme, about 30,000 quintals of quality seeds were distributed in UP, which benefitted almost 300,000 farmers.

During the Rabi season of 2025-26, a special programme is being implemented to cultivate lentils over 40,000 hectares; and urad and moong over 1,00,000 hectares during the Zaid season.

India also imports more than 50 percent of its edible oil consumption.

As such, agri experts have suggested increasing the domestic production and productivity of oilseeds and pulses for self-reliance.

UP produces roughly 21 percent of the total food grains; 10.8 percent fruits; and 15.4 percent of the vegetables in India. The agricultural sector contributes over 25 percent to the Uttar Pradesh Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

Uttar Pradesh bullish on foreign investment

Uttar Pradesh is bullish on its potential as an investment destination not only for domestic but also global investors.

With its sight firmly on the $1 trillion economy goal, the Yogi Adityanath government has amended several industry related laws to improve its ease of doing business ecosystem.

In a clear indication of such changes beginning to deliver the goods, Uttar Pradesh has netted investment proposals of about Rs 20,300 crore worth of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Capital Investment (FCI).

The investment proposals came under the ‘Uttar Pradesh FDI/FCI, Fortune Global 500, and Fortune India 500 Company Investment Promotion Policy 2023’.

Of the 21 FDI/FCI proposals totalling Rs 20,300 crore, proposals of Rs 12,500 crore have been approved and issued with the Letter of Comfort (LoC) by the Yogi government.

The remaining lot of proposals worth Rs 7,800 crore are pending for approval by 'Invest UP' - the nodal agency for facilitating investments.

LoC is the state government's undertaking/guarantee to investors regarding incentives upon fulfilling investment conditions.

Meanwhile, under the UP Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy 2022, 85 proposals worth Rs 1.11 trillion have been approved, while 30 proposals worth Rs 1.10 trillion are in the pipeline.

Women leading startup bandwagon in Uttar Pradesh

Underlining equity in the business ecosystem, women-led startups have jumped 30 percent to nearly 9,600 in Uttar Pradesh.

From roughly 6,812 startups promoted by women a year back, the number of similar startups has now breached the 9,600 mark, indicating their march towards entrepreneurship.

At present, Uttar Pradesh is home to 19,000 startups recognised by the Central Government’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

Thus, women-led startups today account for more than 50 percent of UP's current startup tally.

The Yogi Adityanath government has already constituted a Rs 1,000 crore 'UP Startup Fund' to convert ideas into business ventures by providing financial support at both the early and expansion stages.

So far, Rs 325 crore has been approved from this Fund for assistance to startups, which has fortified the state's startup ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the state's 'Start in UP' scheme is also emerging as a strong foundation for new entrepreneurs. Under this roadmap, more than 3,000 startups have been recognised.

Of these, over 900 startups are run by women leaders, thus marking a significant step toward women entrepreneurship.

Moreover, 2,100 startups have received incubation support, providing them with technical guidance, mentorship, and business support.

Since, new startups need capital and market access in the early stages, the Yogi government is offering seed capital and marketing assistance, benefitting 376 ventures with a financial support to the tune of Rs 26.43 crore.

Similarly, the state has benefitted 74 applicants with approval of Rs 3.55 crore for prototype development, which is a crucial stage in turning an idea into a successful business.

Currently, 76 recognised incubators are functioning in UP, providing technical, managerial, and strategic support to startups.

These incubators have received assistance of Rs 14.80 crore to foster the state's image as an amenable startup hub.

To handhold startups, UP has also implemented livelihood allowance and incentive schemes.

Under these, 115 livelihood allowance applications have been approved and sanctioned Rs 2.46 crore, which has reduced the initial risk for startups.

Noida, Lucknow, Ghaziabad and Kanpur are among the top cities in terms of the registered startups.

Some of the leading startups and unicorns incorporated in UP include Pine Labs, Spice Money, Paytm Payments Bank, Advisorymandi, OneCode, Wishfin, GramCover, Marquee Equity, Buddy4Study etc, IndiaMart, Info Edge, PhysicsWallah etc.

UP logs investment proposals of Rs 2.92 trillion at Davos

Expanding its wings for global investments, Uttar Pradesh has logged investment proposals to the tune of Rs 2.92 trillion at the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 during January 19–23 at Davos in Switzerland.

Led by UP finance minister Suresh Khanna, the state inked 31 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across key sectors viz. data centers, renewable energy, waste-to-energy, manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI).

These partnerships align with UP’s vision of becoming a $1 trillion economy, Khanna told newspersons recently after arriving in Lucknow from Davos.

Discussions were held with global tech firms including Google, Uber, HCLTech, Tech Mahindra, Cisco, Deloitte, Google Cloud, Automation Anywhere, and SA Technologies.

“The focus areas covered Global Capability Centers (GCCs), AI, data centers, digital governance, skill development, and mobility solutions,” he added.

An MoU with AM Green Group pertained to the establishment of a 1 GW AI-focused data centre in Greater Noida, with a proposed investment kitty of nearly Rs 2.10 trillion by 2028.

Ride hailing service Uber evinced interest in expanding mobility partnerships, and in establishing a potential GCC in Noida.

Rashmi Metallurgical committed an investment of Rs 4,000 crore for a 1 MTPA integrated steel plant.

AB InBev, Godrej, Philip Morris International, Kübler Group, Schneider Electric etc discussed manufacturing, smart factories, Industry 4.0, supply chains etc.

Moreover, discussions were held with Grundfos, Ramky Group, and Schneider Electric on partnerships in water management, irrigation, solar pump solutions, sewage and waste management, microgrids, and smart villages.

Grundfos is exploring for the solarization of 50,000–60,000 pumps annually in Uttar Pradesh, and proposed pilot projects in Lucknow, Noida, and Varanasi.

Bayer Consumer Health and Agilent Technologies explored opportunities in agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, research and development and life sciences.

Besides, engagements with BlackRock, Deloitte, Marsh McLennan, Adecco, and Wealthdoor focused on long-term capital investment, FDI/FPI, institutional capacity building, risk management, skill development, and global talent.

Adecco is keen to establish a centre in Lucknow to leverage Uttar Pradesh’s progressive services sector and employment ecosystem.

Khanna said the Yogi Adityanath government showcased UP’s development and investment potential through participation for the third consecutive year at the WEF.

“This participation reaffirmed the state’s commitment to accelerating economic transformation and positioning UP as a globally competitive investment hub,” he underscored.

Now, Invest UP will strengthen policy support, infrastructure, skilled human resources, regulatory facilitation, and inter-departmental coordination to translate investment intentions into outcomes.