Munich, Oct 14 (IANS) The high-level delegation led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma started off its European leg of investor outreach on Monday and had one-on-one interaction with Florian Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery and Minister of State for Federal Affairs in Munich.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Sharma invited Germany to become a ‘Partner Country’ of the upcoming ‘Rising Rajasthan’ Global Investment Summit 2024 and offered to set up a dedicated investment zone for the German investors in Rajasthan on the model of successful Neemrana Japanese Investment Zone.

The delegation also proposed a sister partnership between Bavaria state of Germany and Rajasthan with a special emphasis on renewable energy. The Chief Minister also requested Herrmann to consider setting up an office in Rajasthan to bolster the ties between Bavaria and Rajasthan and sought the support of the German government in facilitating new investments in the state. A partnership on meeting the requirements of skilled manpower of both, Bavaria and Rajasthan was also discussed during the meeting.

“Germany is one of India’s most important trade and strategic partners and possesses the world-renowned technological expertise. We had a very productive round of discussion with the representatives of the German government and sought their support to facilitate the sharing of technology and investment in Rajasthan. We are willing to set up a dedicated investment zone for the German investors in Rajasthan like Neemrana Zone for Japanese investors,” the Chief Minister said.

Later, the Chief Minister-led delegation also visited the Munich-based Deutsches Museum, a prominent science and industry museum established in the year 1903.

During the visit, discussions were held about comprehensive collaboration between the Deutsches Museum and Jaipur's Albert Hall Museum, which includes hosting joint exhibitions, promoting cultural and historical tours, collaborating on research programs in STEM, creating internship opportunities for Rajasthan youth at the Deutsches Museum and adopting best practices for preserving other historical sites in Rajasthan.

These collaborations aim to promote cultural and historical tourism to a broader audience. Jaipur's Albert Hall Museum is celebrated for its Indo-Saracenic architecture and its extensive showcase of Rajasthan's cultural heritage.

Afterwards, the delegation also visited the campus of SFC Energy AG, a leading producer of hydrogen and direct methanol fuel cells and invited the firm to explore investment opportunities in Rajasthan.

The delegation apprised the officials of the German firm of Rajasthan’s dominant footprint in the field of renewable energy, ambitious goals towards green energy and immense scope in the field of production of fuel cells. SFC Energy officials showed interest in doing business in Rajasthan.