New South Wales premier to lead trade mission to India : International

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, Aug 30 - New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma Thursday announced he would lead a business and education mission to New Delhi and Mumbai this November.

Delivering the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) 2007 Accor-Qantas Australia India address, the NSW premier said: 'The continued growth of NSW prosperity is linked to the engagement of our business community with the major economies of the world, such as India. NSW is open for business, and my government is committed to closely cooperate with our trading partners to create the best possible environment to drive business growth and innovation.

'And that means more jobs for the people of New South Wales,' he added. The purpose of the mission will be to raise awareness among Indian business and research institutions of NSW capabilities and strengths.

India is Australia's sixth largest merchandise export market. The Australia-India bilateral trade was worth almost $8.6 billion in 2005-06, an increase of nearly 18 percent over the previous year.

Iemma said: 'India is embarking on a massive programme of infrastructure investment and NSW companies have the expertise and the capacity to win significant business in logistics, construction and consultancy services, as well as in other sectors.'

India is the fastest growing market for services exports, which were worth a further AU$1.5 billion last year, and has huge potential for significant growth.

Emphasising his keenness to build stronger education and research links with India, Iemma said: 'NSW has world class education and research institutions and businesses at the forefront of sophisticated global service delivery. It is also becoming a favourite destination for Indian tourists and students. Knowledge and innovation are what will drive global business links for NSW in the future.'

Meanwhile, Darren Gribble was Thursday reappointed as the Chairman of the Australia-India Council (AIC). Gribble has been chair of the AIC since 2005. He was Australia's High Commissioner to India from 1994 to 1997.

The Australia-India Council was established by the Australian government to broaden and deepen bilateral relations through contacts and exchanges in a range of fields such as the arts, education, film, sport, health, social issues and institutional and professional links.

The other members on the council include Professor Robin Jeffrey, director of Research at the School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University and a known scholar on Indian history, media and politics and Suzanne Davies, director and chief curator of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Gallery in Melbourne. She was a key facilitator of an exhibition of Australian jewellery design that recently toured India.

Vinod Daniel, chairman of AusHeritage and head of Materials Conservation and the Built Environment at the Australian Museum; Professor Suzanne Crowe, head of the AIDS Pathogenesis and Clinical Research Programme at the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research; Professor Bruce Bennett, Professor of English at the University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy; Sandy Hollway, consultant and former CEO of the Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee and David Ritchie, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be among the other members of the council.