Karnataka, Bavaria to draft roadmap for deeper bilateral ties: Minister Patil
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka and the German state of Bavaria have significant potential for bilateral collaboration and investment, and a detailed roadmap will be prepared and finalised to advance this, Minister M B Patil said on Monday.
Minister of Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development said both Karnataka and Bavaria have made notable progress in information technology, aerospace, defence, research and development, semiconductors and innovation.
Patil held discussions with a high-level delegation led by Ilse Aigner, President of the Bavarian State Parliament, who called on him here.
The delegation expressed interest in designating Karnataka as a "privileged partner" of Bavaria, his office said in a release.
Patil said further in-depth discussions would be needed and noted that the current environment is favourable for technological cooperation.
Highlighting Bavaria’s global leadership in supercomputing and quantum technologies, he said Karnataka has formulated an exclusive quantum technology policy.
With the presence of Lam Research in the state, he added, there are strong prospects for collaboration.
Bavaria has maintained a representative office in Bengaluru for nearly two decades.
Its higher-education system is well regarded, Patil said, adding that Bavarian universities may consider setting up campuses in the upcoming KWIN City (Knowledge, Wellbeing and Innovation City). Academic partnerships with local institutions would also be beneficial, he noted.
He said more than 200 Indian companies currently operate in Germany, while over 2,000 German firms have a presence in India.
The delegation expressed pleasant surprise at the high number of young women pursuing technical education in Karnataka and showed interest in adopting similar initiatives in Bavaria.
Patil said girls in the state have traditionally excelled in academics and that Karnataka has created a strong enabling environment for them, which will continue.
Earlier in the day, the delegation met Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh.
The chief secretary briefed the delegation on the government’s women-centric policies and its commitment to democratic values of equality, a release said. She also outlined the five guarantee schemes implemented by the state government.
She expressed happiness over the delegation’s participation in the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS), which she said would help enhance cooperation in deep tech, manufacturing, and research and development.
The 28th edition of BTS, organised by the Department of Electronics, IT and BT and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on November 18.
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Karnataka: Home Department asks motorists to drive on highways with caution to avoid robbery
Belagavi: The Home Department has advised motorists to stay alert while travelling on national and state highways, warning that gangs involved in robbery and extortion have been active in several stretches. It said people should be extra cautious if anyone tries to stop their vehicle in isolated areas.
Replying to an unstarred question on Thursday, the department said Karnataka has recorded 403 highway robbery cases in the past three years. According to the data, national highways saw 81 extortion and 23 robbery cases in 2023, followed by 66 extortion and 16 robbery cases in 2024. Until November 15 this year, 51 extortion and 14 robbery cases have been reported.
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On state highways, 39 extortion and 17 robberies were reported in 2023, while 2024 saw 35 extortion and 22 robbery cases. In 2025 so far, 20 extortion and 19 robbery cases have taken place. The department noted that curbing highway robberies remains a major challenge for the police.
To tackle the issue, police stations have been directed to set up regular checkpoints on stretches of highways passing through their limits. Suspicious individuals and vehicles are being checked. Two-wheelers have been allocated to every station for night patrol, and staff have been instructed to conduct night rounds using vehicles fitted with sirens and red lights.
