India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is on a three day (23-25 September), two city (Sydney, Adelaide) visit to Australia at the invitation of Trade Minister, Don Farrell.
During Mr Goyal’s visit Invest India and Austrade have signed an MoU to enhance investment relations, promote trade, support businesses, and foster economic growth.
Trade Minister Don Farrell and Minister Goyal co-chaired the 19th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission meeting today in Adelaide to discuss ways to further elevate the bilateral economic engagement.
Mr Goyal also visited the Lot Fourteen Innovation District in Adelaide.
He also met with Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas and the Governor of South Australia Frances Adamson.
Earlier in Sydney, in an exclusive interview with The Australia Today, Mr Goyal said that the aim should be to have $500 billion bilateral trade between the two countries by 2030.
Mr Goyal had several productive engagements with various stakeholders in Sydney and also met with NSW Premier Chris Minns.
Mr Goyal attended a business roundtable hosted by the Business Council of Australia in which prominent Australian and Indian CEOs participated and invited Australian business leaders to explore the opportunities presented by the high and sustained economic growth in India.
He also met senior representatives from the Australian pension funds. Discussions focused on the robust policies and reform agenda of the Government of India which have boosted investor confidence. The Minister encouraged greater investments into the emerging sectors in the Indian market viz renewable energy, manufacturing, education, fintech, agritech etc.
Mr Goyal had a productive meeting with Tania Constable, CEO of the Minerals Council of Australia regarding ways to strengthen collaboration in the critical minerals sector between India and Australia. He also met Joel Katz, Managing Director of the Cruise Lines International Association to explore opportunities for enhancing coastal tourism in India. The Minister interacted with Robin Khuda, Founder & CEO of AirTrunk and discussed India’s digitalisation growth and the significant potential for collaboration in the data infrastructure sector.
(Images: @PiyushGoyal / X)
The Centre for Australia-India Relations hosted a lunch in honour of the Minister with members of their Director network. Mr Goyal also interacted with the representatives of the Indian-Australian community at a reception hosted by the Consulate General of India at Sydney Cricket Ground.
He then offered prayers at the BAPS Swaminarayan temple in Parramatta and recalled his previous visit to the temple in 2022.
The event was attended by Dr Andrew Charlton, Chair of Parliamentary Friends of India and Warren Kirby, Co-chair of NSW Parliamentary Friends of India.
The Minister’s official bilateral engagements included the reception hosted in his honour by Australia-India Business Council (AIBC) and NSW Parliamentary Friends of India in the Parliament of New South Wales.
He also had a fireside chat with Asialink Business CEO Leigh Howard and addressed the ‘Emerging Business Leaders Reception’ hosted by the India Australia Business & Community Alliance (IABCA)
Mr Goyal reiterated the importance of the bilateral economic relationship and spoke about the opportunities to take Australia-India business collaboration to the world at the IABCA reception.
He also attended The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India’s 22nd National conference which was being held in Sydney.
