Australian Trade Minister to lead 'Business Week' in India

With the focus on strengthening collaboration between Australia and India in agri-business and food, higher education and research and smart cities and infrastructure, Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo will lead a major mission to the country this month, a statement said here on Thursday.

According to the statement, the second Australia Business Week in India (ABWI) arranged by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission -- from August 28 to September 1 -- will attract many business leaders.

Over 50 business events and activities with Indian businesses, industry and government, will take place across the six cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhopal, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Leonie Muldoon, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner - South Asia, said at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission that the ABWI is a significant platform which can be leveraged by Australian businesses to take a closer look at what India has to offer and to engage with potential partners and customers in specific areas of mutual business opportunity.

"The sheer size and breadth of the delegation across multiple industry sectors makes it an important step in Australia's ongoing efforts to further enhance the trade, investment and education relationship with India," said Muldoon.

ABWI 2017 builds on the success of the inaugural event in 2015, which created lasting relationships and generated business worth millions of dollars, the statement said.

India is Australia's ninth largest partner with two-way trade and services of Australian dollars 20.7 billion and its fifth largest export market, with total exports of Australian dollars 11.1 billion.

"Total Indian investment in Australia is near Australian dollars 13.5 billion (up from Australian dollars 600 million in 2006), while total investment in India is over Australian dollars 10.3 billion," it added.

--IANS

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