Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist March 2019 | Page 10

SPECIAL REPORT
by Australian Financial Review on India-
Australia economic engagement. The event
was attended by the captains of both Australian
& Indian businesses, Foreign Minister of
Australia Marise Payne, leaders from New
South Wales and other offi cials. In his address,
the President highlighted the opportunities
in New India and urged closer engagement
with Australian companies and investors. In
his address, the President invited Australian
companies to participate in the Indian growth
story in fi n-tech and logistics, industrial design
and biotech, capital markets and agri-business.
The President welcomed the "India Economic
Strategy To 2035” initiative.
Welcoming the creation of the Australian
Space Agency, the President suggested that
the two countries can cooperate in space
technology especially considering India’s
long-standing experience in the space sector.
Prime Minister Morrison in his address
highlighted the key recommendations of
"India Economic Strategy to 2035” and
accepted the recommendations of the report
to take necessary measures to increase the
Australian investment from current AUD 10
billion to 100 billion by 2035 and focus on
intensive engagements in areas of Education,
Tourism, Resources and Agro-business
sectors.
The President also graced the Annual
Dinner of the Australia-India Business
Council (AIBC) and addressed members of
AIBC. The Foreign Minister of Australia Ms.
Marise Payne and Premier of New South
Wales Ms. Gladys Berejiklian were present
during the AIBC gathering.
In Melbourne, on 23 November, Governor
of Victoria Ms. Linda Dessau hosted a
banquet lunch in honour of President
Kovind. Victoria hosts a large number of
Indian Diaspora and students. The leader of
opposition of Australia Mr. Bill Shorten made
a courtesy call on the President. Later the
President addressed students at the University
of Melbourne on the theme "Australia-India
as knowledge Partners”.
During the visit fi ve Memorandums of
Understanding (MoU) were exchanged.
The fi rst Presidential
visit from India to
Australia has added
momentum to the
ongoing growth in our
bilateral engagements
which in recent years
has not only increased
in regularity but has
also intensifi ed in all
areas of our strategic
cooperation.
10 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 3 • March 2019, Noida
These were: (i) MoU between Department of
Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities,
India and Department of Social Services
(Australia) on cooperation in Disability
sector; (ii) the MoU between Invest India and
AUSTRADE to promote bilateral investment;
(iii) MoU between Central Mine Planning
and Design Institute Limited (CMPDI),
India, and the Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research Organisation
(CSIRO), Australia for furthering Scientifi c
Cooperation; (iv) MoU between Acharya
N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur,
Andhra Pradesh and the University of
Western Australia, for cooperation in
agricultural research and education; and (v)
a Joint PhD Agreement between Queensland
University of Technology (QUT), Australia
and Indraprastha Institute of Information
Technology Delhi (IIITD to develop a
Joint Ph,D, programme whereby research
students are enrolled in a Ph.D. course at each
University and perform coordinated research
studies at both Universities.
This visit was part of the regular high-
level exchanges between the two countries.
Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull was on a
State Visit to India in 2017 and Governor-
General Sir Peter Cosgrove visited India
in March 2018 for the founding conference
of the International Solar Alliance. Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi had paid a
historic visit to Australia in November 2014.
The first Presidential visit from India
to Australia has added momentum to the
ongoing growth in our bilateral engagements
which in recent years has not only increased in
regularity but has also intensifi ed in all areas
of our strategic cooperation. The visit saw
the President engaging with the leadership
of Australia at the federal and provincial
levels, the business community, students
and academics and Indian Diaspora. The
Australian leadership expressed exceptional
warmth and highly appreciated the growing
ties and engagement with India. 
Source: Ministry of External Affairs,
Government of India