Lex Delles cites Luxembourg-India ties

Lex Delles, Luxembourg’s minister for the economy, SME, energy and tourism, said on September 7 that space, steel and fintech sit at the center of Luxembourg’s push to deepen ties with India. In remarks reported by Business Standard and echoed in coverage of his New Delhi meetings, Delles said the two countries already have companies working together and should build more structured links in research, innovation and industry. (business-standard.com) He also said Luxembourg wants Indian companies to see it as a base for reaching Europe. A separate Indian government account of Delles’ visit showed the minister meeting Union Minister Jitendra Singh in New Delhi on September 7 to discuss concrete areas of cooperation, led by space and other emerging technologies. (pib.gov.in) That meeting also looked ahead to a proposed state visit by Luxembourg in January 2027, according to Indian official and state-backed reporting. ### Which sectors did Lex Delles put at the center of the pitch? Business Standard’s report on Delles’ comments said he identified space, green steel and financial services as particularly promising areas for Luxembourg-India cooperation. (business-standard.com) The report said Delles also pointed to research and development, innovation and closer company-to-company work as part of that agenda. Delles’ broader public comments in India, as carried by multiple reports on his ministerial meetings, also referred to satellite communications, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and high-performance computing. Those accounts framed his visit as part of a wider effort to connect government institutions, research bodies and private-sector ecosystems in both countries. (pib.gov.in) ### What does Luxembourg say it is offering Indian companies? Delles told Business Standard that Luxembourg wants Indian companies to use the country as “a gateway to Europe.” The same report said he presented Luxembourg as a place from which Indian firms could expand in European markets while Luxembourg companies deepen activity in India. (business-standard.com) Luxembourg’s pitch aligns with the sectors Delles highlighted. Business Standard’s indexing pages and syndicated summaries of the interview described the effort as focused on trade, investment and financial cooperation, with particular attention to advanced industries where Luxembourg already has a footprint. (lokmattimes.com) ### How developed are the space links already? India’s Ministry-side account of the September 7 meeting said space remains an important pillar of the bilateral relationship. DD India reported that India and Luxembourg signed a memorandum of understanding in February 2022 on cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. (business-standard.com) Jitendra Singh said, according to the same report and parallel syndicated coverage, that the partnership has already taken on a commercial dimension through satellite transponder leasing and the launch of two Luxembourg satellites on commercial terms aboard India’s PSLV rocket. (business-standard.com) The reports also said IN-SPACe and the Luxembourg Space Agency have been engaging to strengthen interaction between the two countries’ space ecosystems. ### Where does research cooperation fit into this? The Business Standard report said Delles emphasized research and development and innovation as part of the next phase of cooperation. (ddindia.co.in) Other coverage of his talks in India said he pressed for greater interaction between government institutions and private-sector ecosystems, a formulation that matches the idea of more formal research links. Jitendra Singh’s side of the discussion widened that frame beyond space. DD India said the two ministers discussed possible collaboration in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, advanced materials and life sciences, and that Indian officials wanted institutions to stay engaged so proposals could be prepared in advance. (ddindia.co.in) ### What happens next in the Luxembourg-India track? The September 7 New Delhi meeting was presented as preparation for a proposed state visit by the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg to India in January 2027. (business-standard.com) Indian official reporting said both sides discussed identifying specific areas of cooperation before that visit so concrete proposals could be ready. A post shared on X by Business Standard on September 8 also circulated Delles’ interview remarks on space, steel and fintech, providing the social-media trail that brought the comments wider attention. (europesays.com) (pib.gov.in) (ddindia.co.in)