India and Australia focus on three areas of our relationship that show great potential: economic, knowledge and strategic partnerships.
India’s economic take-off is lifting millions out of poverty, transforming the country into the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with forecasted growth of 7.5% in 2017.
This is a stunning result for India, and a rare opportunity for Australia.
Two-way trade is growing, and approaching $20 billion, but that’s far too low and there’s so much more we can do.
The Government will announce the results of the tenth round of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.
Worth more than $100 million, this initiative has enabled our sharpest minds to collaborate in areas such as food security and health, and advance the boundaries of human knowledge in quantum computing, nanotechnology and astronomy.
Connecting via education:
For decades students have been criss-crossing the Indian Ocean in search of knowledge.
Last year, Australia was the second-most popular study destination for Indian students — 60,000 came to Australia to learn.
Through the Government’s New Colombo Plan, more and more young Australians choosing India as a place to study and boost their own qualifications and experience.
Consider the numbers — the Indian Government is aiming to train 400 million people by 2022.
A great strength of our education relationship is found in the higher education and research sector.
Collaboration between our institutes on high-end research, innovation, science and technology are central to developing our knowledge partnership.
Shared strategic priorities:
Close economic cooperation is also matched by shared strategic priorities.
The security and stability of the Indo-Pacific is fundamental to both of us and my visit provides an opportunity to discuss key regional and geostrategic issues and strengthen our engagement.
The Indian link:
India — its culture, its art, its food, its people — has become such a large and important part of Australian life.
Half a million Australians are of Indian descent.
That number increases each year. Whether it’s Little India in Melbourne, Diwali celebrations in Brisbane, or the long-established Sikh community on the North Coast of New South Wales, modern Australia, the most successful multicultural society in the world, could not be imagined without the contribution of Indian-Australians.
