Czech Republic Deputy PM Karel Havlíček meets BEML Chairman to explore industrial collaboration
Bengaluru : First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, Karel Havlíček, met BEML Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Shantanu Roy in Bengaluru, with discussions focusing on strengthening India-Czech industrial and technology cooperation.
On Wednesday, Havlíček visited the company’s headquarters along with a high-level Czech delegation to explore opportunities for industry-to-industry partnerships, technology collaboration and advanced manufacturing.
During the interaction, Roy highlighted BEML’s growing capabilities across defence, aerospace and advanced engineering, with an emphasis on indigenous technology development, engineering innovation and building globally competitive manufacturing capabilities.
Havlíček shared perspectives on the Czech Republic’s industrial landscape and emerging business opportunities, highlighting the country’s strengths in precision engineering, machine tools, automotive components, industrial machinery, transport technologies and applied research.
The discussions also highlighted the potential for greater synergies between Czech industrial expertise and India’s expanding manufacturing and technology ecosystem, particularly in Karnataka’s priority sectors of manufacturing, aerospace, electronics and technology.
The engagement explored opportunities for collaboration between businesses and technology providers from both countries, with a focus on leveraging their complementary industrial strengths to create new business opportunities.
The visit further underscored the growing momentum in India-Czech economic and technological cooperation and the potential to strengthen ties between advanced engineering enterprises in the two countries.
The Czech delegation included Kateřina Gajzurová, Director of the Minister’s Office; Marie Chatardová, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Katerina Vovkova, Consul General of the Czech Republic in Mumbai; Katerina Petersen, Chargé d’affaires at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi; and representatives from ministries and leading Czech business houses.
Earlier on Wednesday, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged Czech companies to expand their investments beyond Bengaluru and explore opportunities across other districts of the state, highlighting potential areas of cooperation in energy, automobile components, electric vehicles, aerospace, defence, precision engineering and advanced manufacturing.
“Karnataka will be a long-term partner of the Czech Republic and Czech companies should invest not just in Bengaluru but across various districts of Karnataka,” Shivakumar said after a delegation led by Czech Republic Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček met him at Vidhana Soudha and held discussions on strengthening economic and industrial cooperation.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Union Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting with Czech Republic Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček to discuss strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, trade, investment and technology partnerships.
Havlíček is on a four-day visit to India and is holding interactions with various ministries, trade representatives and businesses. As part of the visit, he travelled to Bengaluru and will be travelling to Mumbai to visit industries.
