What the far-Right’s rise in Germany could hold for India

Germany’s Political Shift Raises Questions for India

Indiadailyupdate.com – Germany’s changing political landscape is drawing close attention in India at a time when the two countries are seeking stronger strategic, technological and defence ties. The recent visit to India by German chief of defence Carsten Breuer highlighted a renewed effort to expand military cooperation and industrial exchange, even as uncertainty in global politics has increased.

That engagement has largely developed under a centre-right government in Berlin. But the growing strength of Alternative für Deutschland, or AfD, has introduced difficult questions for foreign partners and for the large Indian community that has made Germany home.

For the first time since the Nazi era, a party classified as far-right has achieved sweeping electoral success and may enter state governments in two German states. The elections held in September in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin attracted unusual international scrutiny because of the scale of the AfD’s advance.

Electoral gains beyond eastern Germany

In Berlin’s September 20 election, the AfD secured 16.3% of the vote, becoming the third-largest force behind Die Linke and the Christian Democratic Union, or CDU. Its participation in a Berlin government appears highly unlikely, but its wider momentum is harder to dismiss.

The pattern is no longer confined to eastern Germany. In March 2026, the AfD won 18.8% in Baden-Württemberg, one of the country’s most populous and economically powerful states. That was almost twice its 2021 share. Forthcoming state elections in western Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia, will test whether this expansion continues.

National polling for the next federal election also points to a major shift: the AfD is clearly performing better than the CDU, Germany’s traditional mainstream conservative party. For countries that depend on Germany as an economic partner, technology collaborator and destination for skilled workers, the implications extend beyond domestic German politics.

Why the issue matters to Indians in Germany

The Indian population in Germany has grown sharply. The number of Indian nationals rose from 86,000 in 2015 to roughly 280,000 in early 2025. More than 152,000 are employed in jobs covered by social security contributions, frequently in IT, engineering and other highly skilled fields. Nearly 59,000 are students, while about 69,000 others are mainly family members accompanying workers and students.

This community is important not only to India but also to Germany’s labour market. Indian professionals and students are part of the cross-border human connection that supports business links, research collaboration and the transfer of technical expertise. Political proposals that make immigration or residence less secure could therefore affect more than individual migrants; they could influence Germany’s appeal as a place to study, work and invest.

The AfD’s platform in Saxony-Anhalt calls for doing without “foreign-culture skilled workers,” without explaining precisely who would be included in that category. Ulrich Siegmund, the election winner in Saxony-Anhalt and the likely future minister-president, did not answer a question submitted through the citizen platform abgeordnetenwatch.de on whether an Indian woman working as a doctor would fall within that description.

His public emphasis has instead been on attracting Germans who have moved abroad. In a televised election debate, Siegmund said that, rather than depending on the 153 Syrian doctors practising in Saxony-Anhalt, he would prefer to bring back German emigrants. His estimate of the realistically available number was limited.

“Hundreds”

That figure would plainly be insufficient for the broader demand for skilled labour in the German economy. The contrast highlights a central tension: Germany needs workers in many qualified professions, while the AfD’s political message seeks to limit or redefine immigration.

Citizenship and residency concerns

The AfD has also indicated that it wants retrospective reviews of existing naturalisations. In Bavaria, it called for all naturalisations since 2016 to be examined again. Such a measure cannot be implemented at the state level because citizenship law is governed federally. Still, AfD influence in a state or federal government could directly affect residency conditions and work rights for people who have not yet become German citizens.

Indians who have already been naturalised are protected more strongly under German law. Annual naturalisations of Indians almost doubled from 2,775 in 2022 to 4,705 in 2024. Estimates from the Institute for Employment Research suggest that nearly two out of five people of Indian origin already hold German citizenship.

For many, naturalisation has involved a significant personal decision. India does not permit dual citizenship, and more than 90% of Indians who have acquired German citizenship have given up their Indian passports. That makes political debates over citizenship especially sensitive. The AfD has demanded that citizenship be revoked for criminal “dual nationals,” a position that raises concern even though many Indian-origin German citizens are not dual nationals at all.

A Test for Bilateral Confidence

India’s relationship with Germany rests on more than high-level diplomacy. It includes students choosing German universities, engineers joining German companies, families building long-term lives, and businesses relying on open channels for skills and innovation. A political environment perceived as less welcoming to non-white immigrants could weaken those connections over time.

For New Delhi, the immediate task is to continue pursuing strategic cooperation with Berlin while watching how Germany’s internal politics affect mobility, employment and the security of Indian residents. For Indians considering Germany, the debate is equally practical: career opportunities remain substantial, but legal status, social acceptance and future policy direction may carry greater weight than before.

Germany’s elections are ultimately for German voters to decide. Yet the consequences of a far-right surge will be felt beyond its borders, particularly by countries such as India whose citizens have become an increasingly visible part of Germany’s workforce, universities and social fabric.