An Exclusive Interview with Indian-Origin Leader Gurdeep Randhawa Joins CDU State Presidium in Landmark Move
Gurdeep Singh Randhawa, a 64-year-old businessman, first Indian-origin person to be made a state presidium in Germany. In August 2022, he was chosen as the Indian community’s representative by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Thuringia, a historic achievement in German politics.
A resident of Ichtershausen for 1990, Randhawa has been a member of the CDU since 2003. He has been a councilor in Amt Wachsenburg and a member of the presidium in the Ilm district. His appointment provides direct representation to the Indian community in state parliamentary matters, making them more visible and influential in the CDU ranks.
Aside from his political activity, Randhawa has strong business connections with India and is actively involved in humanitarian efforts, specifically in supporting the rights of Sikhs and the people of Punjab.
Interview Question
How significant is the defense industry in shaping Germany’s industrial and cultural future?
We can say that, at least, the automotive industry—and now more and more the defense industry—are focal points. Because of the war in Ukraine and the tensions with Russia, there is an increasing awareness that Europe needs to strengthen its defense. As it stands today, the European defense system is spread over different countries. What is the goal now is to consolidate them all under one umbrella. In the same way, the industrial sector has to be merged so that Europe can establish and depend upon its own strong and autonomous industry.
After forty years in nation, how do you perceive the cultural and behavioral differences between our people and those employed here?
Germans wouldn’t mind generally if they do know the person is respectable and law-abiding. If you are not a gentleman—meaning someone who participates in illegal or criminal acts—even in our own nation, we wouldn’t stand for it. So naturally, that won’t be here either. However, when working professionals come to Germany with a purpose to work and contribute, people can observe and appreciate it. The challenge now is that so many people are coming from different countries, usually as illegal immigrants. This causes confusion and makes it hard to know who is here legally and who is not. That’s why we must have a clear culture in this nation—one that sees and honors legal immigrants.
I am working here, my children are working, and we are all contributing to this society. In those situations, Germans have no issue, because they can see that we are serving and supporting this nation.
Only this, the problem is only with the illegal immigrants, and that has to be stopped. Illegal immigration must be stopped, but our policies are that from the, in the border area, that nobody can just get in without documents. Human trafficking, and many, you know, in the Syrian war, I cannot, the party is blaming Angela Merkel, I didn’t ever blame Angela Merkel, because she saved so many million people. This is a hard fact, but only due to this reason, she has paid a very heavy loss for herself, but she wrote one book, which is one of the best sellers in this world, and that’s the reason we are, I am in the party, which party is not against. We need, we need the country, we are export nation, we need the nations where we can export, and we need the nations from where we can get it imported. Because best engineers also come from India. best engineering is from India. Best nursing is coming from India, that’s our paramedic, and under these policies, we can just only work hard in this country, and then, even I can’t say, but the Indian community has a lot of respect in this, in German society.
How welcoming is Germany to professionals and lawful immigrants who don’t speak the language but abide by the regulations?
India has been welcomed openly; now we need strong and meaningful economic relationships with India and with nations whose standards match our own. As a nation committed to quality, we want partnerships that share that commitment to excellence. I was born in India, and although I am a foreigner in this nation technically, I have earned the right to be here. I have gained the trust of a political party and reached a top position in it. That much acceptance is huge. Otherwise, it is not simple for an outsider to join such a party and reach this position so quickly.
What are the challenges you faced when you came, not now?
When I initially started my political life, I never thought I would one day fight elections in this nation. At that moment, I was an ordinary member—merely holding party membership. Even getting that membership was not simple. A special commission had to be established just to review and clear my joining the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Even then, there was nothing against me. I have always been a tax payer, my whole family pays taxes, and my kids are positively contributing to this nation. Even back then, when I was on my own without my family, I was still regarded as a responsible and contributing member. But I was not initially regarded as a fit—to be sure, not due to any personal shortcoming, but simply because I wasn’t perceived as the typical face that some in the Christian Democratic Union had in mind. There was a perception challenge regarding how I would be perceived within the largely Christian political realm.
How does your recent appointment to the CDU Presidium signify for the Indian community in Germany?
My appointment to the CDU Presidium is a truly historic moment—not just for me, but for the entire Indian community in Germany. Being the first person of Indian origin to hold a position in any state Presidium of the CDU is a responsibility I carry with pride. It means our community now has direct representation in the political affairs of Thuringia, which is a significant step forward. I believe this will help raise the visibility of Indians in the region and strengthen our connection with CDU leadership. It’s also a recognition of the hard work and contributions Indians have made to Germany’s economy and society over the years.
How you contributed to the CDU, and what does his new role mean for future generations of Indian-origin Germans?
I’ve been part of the CDU for several years now, serving as a counselor from Amt Wachsenburg and as a Presidium member in the Ilm-Kreis district. This new role at the state level is a recognition of that journey and of the values I’ve always stood for—commitment, community, and progress. More importantly, I see this as a message to the next generation of Indian-origin Germans. I want to show them that their voice matters, and that they too can play a vital role in building a strong and inclusive Germany. I also hope this strengthens Indo-German relations and encourages more collaboration between our communities.
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