Australian regional leader to visit India; trade, investment ties in focus

Sydney: Australian regional leader Chris Minns will lead an official delegation to India later this month seeking to strengthen his state's economic, education and cultural ties with one of its key international partners, according to an official statement on Sunday.

New South Wales Premier Minns will undertake an official visit to New Delhi and Mumbai from August 31 to September 3, his office said.

New South Wales (NSW) is Australia's most populous state and is home to Sydney, the country's largest city and a major financial, business and education hub.


In 2024-25, NSW and India traded goods worth AUD 6.87 billion (USD 4.86 billion), making India one of the state's "most important trading partners", the statement said.

"I'm proud that my first overseas visit as Premier will be to India. It reflects the importance of the relationship and the enormous contribution the Indian community makes to NSW," Minns said.

The visit was announced by Minns at an event in Sydney marking India's 80th Independence Day.

Minns' four-day trip to India will focus on government and business engagements aimed at boosting trade, attracting investment and creating new opportunities for businesses, the statement said.

The delegation will explore opportunities in sectors including education, research and innovation, agri-food, clean energy, critical minerals, technology, tourism and advanced industries, it said.

The relationship between India and NSW also extends to tourism and education.

Between April 2024 and March 2026, about 174,000 Indian visitors travelled to NSW, spending around AUD 600 million (USD 424 million), while more than 28,000 Indian students study in the state, according to the statement.

The visit will also build on NSW's "sister-state relationship" with Maharashtra, home to Mumbai and one of India's largest economic centres, it said.

NSW and Maharashtra established a formal "sister-state relationship" in 2012, encompassing "collaboration on vocational skills training, agriculture, water management and waste treatment technology," according to Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, who will accompany the Premier, said India was "one of the most important" economies to the people of NSW and highlighted education, trade and innovation as areas where the relationship could be strengthened.

Following the India visit, Minns will travel to Kathmandu on September 4-5 to strengthen ties with Nepal, while Mookhey will undertake engagements in Bengaluru focused on trade, investment and technology, the statement said.