90-member delegation from western Australia to visit AP to explore collaborations

Visakhapatnam: A 90-member business delegation from western Australia will visit Visakhapatnam on Saturday to explore the mutual avenues of collaboration and partnerships in investment, trade, and exports. The state government said this is the most ambitious investment and trade mission so far since Australia re-opened its international border.

This particular visit has been earmarked as a significant one given the resumption of the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between India and Australia which reaffirmed both countries' commitment to liberalise and deepen bilateral trade in goods and services.

According to the AP minister for industries and commerce Gudivada Amarnath, "Their visit would help strengthen the government and industry connections, unlock opportunities for WA businesses in the Indian market, and promote the state as a destination for tourists, students, talent, events, business, and investments." The delegates will participate in meetings, site visits, industry briefings and roundtables, one-to-one business matching, and networking events with Indian government and industry representatives.

The delegation has planned an eight-day visit to India from 12-19 July. They will also be traveling to Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.

The 90 business leaders from more than 60 organisations comprise mining, minerals & METS, education and training, and energy. The delegation is led by deputy premier, minister for state development-jobs and trade, tourism and commerce science Roger Cook, and minister for international education and culture and the arts David Templeman.

"To strengthen the bilateral relations between the two parties, a letter of intent has been proposed to promote closer engagements between both parties in the fields of education and training, primary industries, mining and METS, energy, health, and medical life sciences, tourism, and creative industries. This would help the government to work in tandem on the "window of opportunity" for forging new investment opportunities in the various thrust sectors of the state," said Mr. Amarnath.