The NSW Government has wrapped up its first trade mission to India, opening new doors for NSW businesses, investment and jobs in one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world.
Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey spent four days in New Delhi and Mumbai meeting senior government and business leaders across critical minerals, technology, tourism, education, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and creative industries.
India was chosen for the Premier’s first overseas visit in recognition of the importance of the relationship between NSW and India.
Two-way merchandise trade between NSW and India is already worth almost $7 billion a year, but the clear message from the mission was that both sides believe the relationship can go much further.
The mission delivered and progressed a number of opportunities for NSW, including:
- Refreshing NSW’s sister-state agreement with Maharashtra, with both governments committing to develop a joint action plan within 90 days to grow trade and investment.
- A new partnership between NSW-owned traffic technology SCATS and HCLTech, exploring how AI can help expand the use of NSW traffic technology in India.
- A partnership between NSW Mid North Coast boat builder Steber International and Mumbai-based West Coast Marine to bring electric boat technology to India.
- Meetings with major Indian companies including Tata, Mahindra and JSW about opportunities to invest and expand in NSW.
- Putting NSW critical minerals directly in front of Indian government and industry, as India looks to secure the minerals it needs to grow its manufacturing sector.
- Pushing for more direct flights between India and Sydney, including discussions with Air India, and hearing directly from tourism operators about the opportunities to make it easier for more people to visit Australia.
- Building stronger education and research links, including Western Sydney University’s new Greater Noida campus and growing collaboration between NSW universities and Indian institutions.
- Opening the door to more Indian film production in NSW, including the announcement that Heyy Babyy 2 will be filmed in NSW.
The Premier and Treasurer met senior government leaders including Indian Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as well as senior business leaders across both Delhi and Mumbai.
Alongside the business program, the Premier and Treasurer took part in a number of community and cultural visits.
The Premier and Treasurer visited religious and community institutions, met Mumbai’s famous dabbawalas and spent time with people from India’s food, film and cultural industries.
The visits were an opportunity to better understand the country and its people, and recognise the important role NSW’s Indian community can play as a bridge between the two.
The mission concluded with a NSW-India investment forum in Mumbai, bringing together major Indian and Australian businesses to discuss where they could do more together.
Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:
“The clear message we’ve heard this week is that we’re just at the beginning of what this relationship can become.”
“We already do almost $7 billion in two-way trade, but there’s much more we can do in critical minerals, technology, education and tourism.
“We’ve also spent time with communities here and had the chance to get a real sense of the people and culture.
“NSW has a huge advantage in the more than 200,000 Indian-born people who call our state home and understand both countries.
“Our job now is to turn the conversations we’ve had this week into more investment, jobs and opportunities back home.
“We leave India with a much better understanding of the opportunities in front of us, some strong new relationships and plenty of work to do.”
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:
“The big takeaway from this week is that India is ambitious, NSW is ambitious, and there is a genuine appetite to do more together.”
“We’ve met businesses with the scale, technology and capital to invest in NSW, and we’ve seen first-hand the opportunities for NSW businesses in India.
“But the relationship is bigger than business. The links between our people, our universities and our communities give NSW a head start that many other places simply don’t have.
“For a state of eight and a half million people, the opportunity to sell our goods, services and expertise into a market of 1.4 billion people is enormous.
“This trip has opened doors. The work now is to keep those doors open and turn that interest into real economic opportunities for NSW.”
