The Indian market for photonics offers an enormous potential with a current value of 37 billion US dollars and annual growth rates of around 9 percent. According to the German industry association SPECTARIS, the industry is benefiting from a rapidly growing demand for smartphones, the massive expansion of the 4G mobile radio infrastructure, India's solar wind energy and energy efficiency.

The iPhone production in Bangalore, just a few months ago, is now running at full speed. The largest solar power plant in the world, Kamuthi, has been producing electricity with a capacity of up to 648 megawatts since the end of last year. All twenty million street lamps in the country are to be converted to LED lighting. There is no doubt that the Indian market is moving and is becoming increasingly attractive for high-tech companies. This also opens up new opportunities for German photonics.

This is also shown by a study by the Indian market research company IndustryARC, which was developed in cooperation with SPECTARIS and published by LASER World of Photonics India. By the year 2023 the authors expect a growth of the photonics market to then 62 billion US dollar, of which nearly 80 per cent on the product fields displays, photovoltaic, lighting and optical communication technology are to be omitted. Demand for optical solutions for medical technology and life sciences is also being projected.

The mood was also positively positive among the exhibitors and visitors of the LASER World of Photonics India, which met in New Delhi from 14 to 16 September. The trade fair, which takes place annually in New Delhi and Bangalore, provides a good overview of the potential described by the Indian market with its 1.3 billion inhabitants, especially for optical technologies. The Indian government has declared photonics as a priority area and established the "National Photonics Council". Optical communication, bio- and green photonics, photonic crystal fibers, polymer materials for optical applications as well as optical sensors are regarded as particularly important development fields. Photonics is increasingly used in India. They are used, for example, in telecommunications, electronics, photovoltaics, the automotive industry or mechanical engineering.