German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Sunday visited the IIT-Madras and interacted with start-ups from the prestigious institution.
The IIT-Madras was established with assistance from his country.
Steinmeier took time to interact with start-ups that have designed solar-electric hybrid three wheelers, an innovative wheelchair for people with disability and elderly; 3D printers with special focus on carbon fiber products; and compact underwater robots that can conduct environmental survey.
The start-ups, who had designed their products at the IIT-Madras Incubation Cell, gave a demonstrations to the German president.
Sources said he was "impressed" with the start-ups and lauded them for their contribution to science and technology. Later, Steinmeier visited the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC) inside the IIT Research Park.
IIT-Madras was established in 1959 after the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru signed an agreement with Germany to set up a higher technological institute in India.
This was the first Indo-German agreement and provided for the services of German professors and five foremen, training facilities for 20 Indian faculty members and the supply of scientific and technical equipment for the establishment of the central workshop and 20 laboratories at the IIT-Madras.
The German president's first visit after arriving from New Delhi was to Daimler Heavy Vehicles factory in Oragadam, 52 km from here, and undertook a detailed plant visit.
Daimler India, which produces medium to heavy duty trucks and buses under the brands of Bharat Benz and Mercedes Benz respectively, is a subsidiary of Daimler AG that is based in Germany.
"He (Steinmeier) has encouraged German political and economic partners to strengthen their commitment in India," the German Embassy in India said.