India-Australia ties strengthen through education and economic collaboration

New Delhi: India and Australia are rapidly advancing their partnership, with education and economic growth at the core. Lisa Singh, CEO of the Australia India Institute, praised the strengthening ties between the two nations, emphasising the role of the Indian diaspora and government efforts in fostering this relationship.

"We are certainly a lot closer as partners today than we were ten or twenty years ago," Singh said, attributing this progress to collaboration across various sectors.

Singh further highlighted the importance of people-to-people connections, especially the growing Indian community in Australia, which is now one million strong. "The glue between Australia and India is really its people... and those that want to engage in business with India to understand its economic rise," she added, pointing to the complementary strengths of both nations in fields such as clean energy and education.

Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan echoed this sentiment, describing the India-Australia relationship as "incredibly strong" during her visit to India. Allan pointed out that Victoria hosts the largest number of Indian-born Australian residents and international students, making education a key driver in the bilateral relationship.

"Education is an incredibly important part of our community and economy," she said, stressing the significance of ongoing collaboration between Indian and Victorian educational institutions.

Allan also highlighted shared economic priorities, particularly in renewable energy, transport infrastructure, and housing, as key areas where India and Australia can work together. She said, "We have a lot in common in terms of values but also our priority growth areas in terms of renewable energy and building better transport connections."

The Premier's visit to India also focused on engaging with women leaders to discuss ways to create more opportunities for women in both countries. Allan emphasised that strengthening education and economic opportunities for women would benefit both nations. She added, "We all want the best for our kids, strong communities, and great education outcomes."

Both Singh and Allan agree that the growing partnership between India and Australia is built on shared values and the mutual benefits of increased collaboration in education, business, and renewable energy.