Great to see Indian PM Modi in Melbourne. But why is he here?

Two PM’s and two friends – Indian PM Modi is greeted in Melbourne by Australian PM Albanese

INTO INDIA is so excited to see Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Melbourne this week. Welcome!

But why is Modi here? Of course, INTO INDIA has a view:

DIASPORA

India is now Australia’s largest source of migrants. The extended Indian diaspora here is around one million. Modi engages with Indian communities around the world – it is simply good politics.

URANIUM

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Modi will unleash a surge of Australian uranium exports to India. The Aussie Government hopes you won’t see too much media on this one.

INVESTMENT

AustralianSuper is one of the biggest Australian investors in India and will announce its commitment to India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund with a further $500 million, taking the fund’s overall holdings in India to $3.3 billion.

THE QUAD AND CHINA

Yes, most things are in some way about China. Within the four powers (India, Australia, Japan and USA) which form the QUAD – itself a response to growing China power and influence – India’s closest friend is Japan. Australia is emerging as a serious long=term friend of India. This visit helps that.

FULL FTA

During PM Modi’s visit to Melbourne, the Australia India CEO Forum (which works out of the Business Council of Australia – the “big end of town”) will meet and the Aussies will push hard for a FULL free trade agreement. We might make progress.

INTO INDIA also hopes that the Business Council of Australia and Aussie PM Albanese will get together to plan a major political and business mission to India – hopefully before the end of this year.

In relationships, one visit deserves another in return!

Unknown's avatar

Author: Stephen Manallack

Former President, Australia India Business Council, Victoria and Author, You Can Communicate; Riding the Elephant; Soft Skills for a Flat World (published by Tata McGraw-Hill INDIA); Communicating Your Personal Brand. Director, EastWest Academy Pty Ltd and Trainer/Speaker/Mentor in Leadership, Communication and Cross Cultural Communication. Passionate campaigner for closer western relations with India. Stephen Manallack is a specialist on “Doing Business with India” and advisor/trainer on “Cross-Cultural Understanding”. He is a Director of EastWest Academy Pty Ltd which provides strategic advice and counsel regarding business relations with India. A regular speaker in India on leadership and global communication, his most recent speaking tour included a speech to students of the elite Indian university, Amity University, in Noida. He also spoke at a major Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) global summit, the PR Consultants Association of India in Delhi, the Symbiosis University in Pune and Cross-Cultural Training for Sundaram Business Services in Chennai. He has visited India on business missions on 10 occasions and led three major trade missions there. He provides cross-cultural training – Asia and the west.

Leave a comment