I warmly welcome this update to Victoria’s India Strategy: Our Shared Future.
The growth we have seen in the India-Australia bilateral relationship since Victoria released its India Strategy in 2018 is phenomenal. In that time, India and Australia have signed an Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, over twenty Australian ministers have visited India, and more than fifteen Indian ministers have visited Australia. This level of engagement speaks to the priority our country places on this relationship, and our vision to strengthen those ties even further.
Economic complementarity is at the heart of the Australia-India partnership. This congruence between our economies is driving growth across a range of sectors. Victoria is central to this story.
Victoria is home to Australia’s largest Indian diaspora, from across the length and breadth of India. In 2023, Victoria was the destination for over 70 per cent of India’s total Foreign Direct Investment into Australia. Victoria’s education sector continues to respond to the growing number of Indian students seeking high quality internationally recognised qualifications. Victoria is also the host of institutions – like the Australia-India Institute – that are central to deepening our economic, political and cultural connections with India.
This update is an opportunity to harness this momentum and identify how we can channel it to have the greatest impact. I commend the Government of Victoria on its commitment to deepening relations with India and look forward to working with you on the implementation of this updated strategy.
His Excellency Mr Philip Green OAM
High Commissioner to India
Updated