New Delhi: Pointing out that the academic ties between India and Germany were age old, Berlin on March 4 invited Indian students for higher education and suggested that "substantial" number of them could stay there permanently.

Visiting German President Johannes Rau told a gathering of academic and scientific community here that although the number of Indian students undergoing various courses in Germany had increased sharply by 200 per cent since 1996, the figure was "still low in absolute terms".

Indian students account for lesser number as compared to countries like China, whose 14,000 youngsters are undergoing studies in Germany, Rau said at the function of Indo-German Academic and Scientific Co-operation.

"Germany needs far more recruits, particularly in technological field," he said and proposed that many of them could stay there also.

Calculating that India had approximately 300 million students, Rau said, "Even if a few thousand study in Germany and a substantial number live there, not much would be lost."

He said these students could help in further cementing Indo-German ties and be next ambassadors.

PTI