Australia's biggest trade mission to India kicks off

AUSTRALIA’s biggest ever trade mission to India will formally commence today, beginning a week-long series of events designed to enhance trade, education, investment and tourism ties with the world’s third-largest economy.

Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) will see more than 450 business leaders visit India’s major cities to meet their Indian counterparts. The mission also incorporated participation in yesterday’s Vibrant Gujarat 2015 summit.

Bruce Gosper, CEO of Austrade, said, “This trade mission is an important way to inform India’s business community about Australia’s commercial strengths and for our nation’s business people to get a closer look at what India has to offer.

“The sheer size of the mission makes it an important step in Australia’s ongoing efforts to develop trade, investment, education and tourism ties with India,” he said.

Led by Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb, the mission was organised by Austrade and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

“The response to this mission has been impressive and indicates that Australian business is aware of the opportunities and interested in engaging with India in a commercial sense,” Mr Gosper said.

“What is important about ABWI is that business people will get the chance to meet their counterparts face to face, a type of engagement that helps identify real commercial outcomes.”

Nicola Watkinson, Austrade’s Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner for South Asia, said ABWI delegates would visit multiple cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata Chandigarh, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Ludhiana. They would meet leading representatives of India’s business community and attend a series of high-level investment roundtables.

“The delegates represent a significant cross section of Australian industry in areas identified as having the best opportunities in the Indian market. These include resources and energy, tourism, infrastructure, transport, agribusiness and food, financial services, health and medical, as well as education and training,” she said.

"Australia has strong capabilities which can help India better utilise its natural resources, increase water, food and energy security, and serve its changing demography and increasingly affluent population.

"India is looking for ways to improve its innovation output and Australia’s world-class education system and strong innovation credentials can help.”

ABWI follows the successful trade mission to China in April last year, Australia Week in China (AWIC), which was also coordinated by Austrade and DFAT.

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