Australia Shifting Focus From Japan To India

Australia is now shifting its trade focus from southeast Asia and Japan to India. The country is looking at investment opportunities in India in the fields of mining, information technology, biotech, food processing, environmental and health services, said the deputy premier of Queensland, Jim Elder.

India is currently the fifth largest trading partner for Australia and further prospects for trade between the two nations are good, he said while addressing a meeting organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

"The issue of tariff barriers is however an area of concern for us, especially in respect of coal exports from Queensland," he said. Elder who is also minister for state development and trade said that he had raised the issue at a meeting with Omar Abdullah, yesterday.

 

Other issues discussed at the meeting included the question of recognition of educational degrees in both the countries, and of providing greater employment opportunities for Indian students going to Australia to study.

The deputy premier who is currently on a visit to the country along with a delegation to explore business opportunities, said that they were here to look at mutually beneficial areas of cooperation in the fields of mining, IT, biotech, food processing and health systems.

Australian companies are keen to set up supply chains for transport, construction and environment management systems, he said. "In fact, I will be coming back later this year with another delegation," he added. Australian companies are likely to look at possible investments in ports in India, he stated.