The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Germany opens Consulate in city

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Saturday, Nov 22, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Germany opens Consulate in city

Special Correspondent

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

A STEP CLOSER: Germany’s Foreign Affairs Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier (second from left) unveiling the plaque at the German Consulate in Bangalore on Friday. Stefan Graf, Consul-General of Germany, is at right.

Bangalore: The German Foreign Affairs Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier inaugurated his county’s consulate in Bangalore on Friday before a select gathering.

Dr. Steinmeier said the presence of the consulate is “an expression of the genuine partnership between the two countries.” Many German business and scientific organisations had a presence in Bangalore, he added. Bangalore’s importance as an important centre for technology in India was a special attraction for German companies wanting to establish a presence in India. Dr. Steinmeier thanked the Karnataka Government for the help rendered in setting up the consulate.

Senior consular officials stressed that the actual functioning of the consulate is “at least 15 months away.” “There will be no public services, no visa services and no consular services for now,” said Friedrich Rahn, Deputy Consul General. “This will take at least 15 months,” he said.

Currently German visas are issued by the German Consulate in Chennai. The German Consulate in Chennai issued about 24,000 visas for persons travelling from Kerala and Karnataka. Of this, about 18,000 were from Karnataka. Most of the visas for those from travelling from Karnataka were business purposes, Mr. Rahn said.

The Consul-General, Stefan Graf, said Bangalore “is an important stronghold of German business groups in India.”

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