Bangalore, India - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday opened the first foreign consulate in India's information-technology hub of Bangalore.

More than 120 German firms operate in or near the southern city of 8 million people, including carmaker Daimler AG and software company SAP AG.

The opening of Germany's diplomatic outpost came on the final day of Steinmeier's three-day visit to India, during which he also visited New Delhi and held talks on such topics as the global financial crisis, climate change, and the conflicts in Pakistan and Afghanistan with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Germany now has five diplomatic offices in India. (dpa)