MELBOURNE, 22 December 2022: The Indian Diaspora has been rising in numbers for the last two decades in Victoria and across Australia. In fact, it is one of the fastest growing Diaspora in Australia now. Indian Australians are one of the largest groups within the Indian diaspora, with 783,958 persons declaring Indian ancestry at the 2021 census, representing 3.1% of the Australian population. The largest Indian Australian population is found in the state of Victoria.
The recent free trade agreement, Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) enters into force on 29 December 2022 and much more is expected in 2023. To gauge the potential of the Indian Diaspora in Victoria, the Australia India Institute (AII) is preparing a report on it for Victorian Government.
In a year-end message CEO Lisa Singh says, ” The survey explores the levels and types of interactions that Victorians have with the Indian community as well as views about the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the broader Victorian community, including Indian international students. It asks about the role of the state government in interactions with India and about the level of interest in learning more about India. Initial analysis indicates very positive perceptions of the Indian diaspora.”
In early 2023, the AII will launch the report on Victorian’s attitudes to India and the Indian diaspora. The Report is based on the key findings from a survey canvassing the views of 1,200 Victorians in metropolitan and regional areas.
“The survey will contribute to the understanding of the social and economic contribution of the Indian diaspora in Victoria and the extent of recognition of that diaspora contribution,” says Lisa Singh.
