Agro, edu, tourism are key avenues for India-Aus growth: Australia govt
One in 28 Australians is of Indian origin, and the Indian community is a huge part of the Australian growth story, said Australian government officials during an all-women panel discussion on the theme ‘Aus-India: Mobilizing Women in Business’. Over the last decade, the Indian community has clearly doubled in Australia. At present, after the United Kingdom, the Indian-born population is the second largest migrant community in Australia.
Highlighting the key areas where there is immense potential for bilateral trade and business opportunities for women, Sarah Storey, First Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asia Division, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, listed out agriculture, education, green energy, and tourism. She added that these specific sectors were chosen based on discussions with hundreds of individuals, private sector firms, and other stakeholders.
Also Read | Chief Justice BR Gavai criticises SC Bar on not holding farewell for Justice Bela Trivedi
“In the agro sector, India and Australia are not competitors. The rapid rise of the Indian middle class expands their culinary preferences, and Australia has a wide variety to offer. When it comes to education and skilling, Australia has a good reputation, and we are proud that Indian parents trust us with their children’s future. Many Australian universities are trying to open branch campuses in different parts of India, with the first one being Deakin University in Gujarat and more to follow in Maharashtra and Southern India,” she said.
Referring to the initiative of the Uttar Pradesh state government of installing nearly a million rooftop solar panels, Sarah said that India and Australia could work on the critical minerals required as raw materials for such projects, providing health & safety training for the technicians involved in the installation of the hardware and training on maintenance and repairs as well.
There are about a million Australians who are of Indian origin. From an Indian perspective, a million people might not seem like a lot, but back in Australia we have a population that’s approximately 26 million. And nearly four per cent of this population is of Indian origin, added Silai Zaki, the Australian Consul General in Chennai.
Touching upon the strong people-to-people connect between the Indian and Australian people, Silai Zaki spoke about the spectacular growth in the tourism sector and the vast potential it holds. According to a report from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “By 2035, the number of Indian tourists to Australia is expected to grow fourfold, from 300,000 in 2017 to nearly 1.2 million. This puts India on track to go from being Australia’s eighth-largest tourism market today to our fourth.” Estimates suggest that, by the year 2035, Indians travelling to Australia could be worth over $9 billion each year to the Australian economy.
Also Read | ‘Future of oppn’s INDIA bloc not so bright, BJP formidable…’: Chidambaram forewarns for 2029
According to Australian officials, the 2022 India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) has grown bilateral trade by almost 18 per cent. Considering the benefits of the first trade pact, efforts are underway to firm up a second bilaterial trade pact, they added.
Australian government officials on the panel and the Indian women business leaders representing the Confederation of Indian Industry both agreed that women should be able to venture into every sector that they wish to be in, as they have the capacity and capability to do so. The example of women in combat roles in armed forces was taken as an example to showcase the long-drawn struggles that have resulted in major breakthroughs and progress for women.
Responses