Daniel Andrews blueprint aims to double exports to India to $1 billion over the next decade
By Neeraj Nanda
MELBOURNE, 14 January: In a major announcement to boost trade ties with India, Premier Daniel Andrews today announced his government’s action plan to boost exports of food and manufacturing goods to the country. This along with attracting more international students and visitors to Victoria is likely to create jobs and grow the Victorian economy.
Premier Daniel Andrews today unveiled Victoria’s India Strategy: Our Shared Future ahead of his first official visit to India this week.
The Premier said, “This blueprint is all about expanding our footprint in one of the world’s leading economies, which will boost Victorian businesses and create jobs for locals. We have a plan and we’re getting it done.
Our tourism, international education, sport and cultural and innovation offerings are the envy of the world. We want India to experience for themselves the best of everything Victoria produces.”
“We’ve worked closely with leaders and industry experts from the Australian Indian community on ways we can make our state’s bond with India even stronger,” he said.
The Premier said, “This blueprint is all about expanding our footprint in one of the world’s leading economies, which will boost Victorian businesses and create jobs for locals. We have a plan and we’re getting it done.
Our tourism, international education, sport and cultural and innovation offerings are the envy of the world. We want India to experience for themselves the best of everything Victoria produces.”
“We’ve worked closely with leaders and industry experts from the Australian Indian community on ways we can make our state’s bond with India even stronger,” he said.
A media release from the Premier’s office says the strategy will create jobs and grow the Victorian economy by:
“Doubling the value of goods exports – such as food and manufacturing goods – to India from a five-year annual average of $500 million to almost $1 billion by 2027, increasing the number of Indian postgraduate research students in Victoria by 25 per cent doubling the number of Victorian businesses engaged in India from 150 to 300 and nearly tripling the expenditure by Indian visitors to Victoria to $885 million.”
Mr Andrews will travel to India on Monday, where he will showcase Victoria’s strengths as a world-class destination for international education, tourism, sports, culture and innovation. The Premier will visit New Delhi and Bengaluru and is expected to meet Indian Government Ministers and officials apart from other functions.
Others who addressed the function at the Melbourne University included Prof Robin Jaffery (Australia India Institute), HE High Commissioner of India to Canberra, Dr. A. M. Gondane, Mitu Bhowmick Lange (Mind Blowing Films) and the Acting VC of the Melbourne University.