By Vishu Adhana
New Delhi [India], January 24 : Western Australia is looking at India to diversify its economy through investment in tourism and critical minerals, with the state government saying there is a "huge opportunity" for Indian businesses in several sectors in Australia's largest state.
To strengthen ties, the Western Australian government is exploring a direct aviation link, possibly in southern India. Notably, there has been no direct flight from India to Western Australia.
Western Australia's Deputy Premier, Treasurer, and Minister for Transport and Tourism, Rita Saffioti, has successfully concluded a delegation-led mission in Delhi.
She engaged in meetings with Indian officials, hotel industry businessmen, and aviation sector representatives to explore collaboration and enhanced connectivity.
Speaking to ANI, Saffioti conveyed that the Western Australian government would like to "grow" business economic ties, saying "there is a huge opportunity for Indian businesses."
Western Australia is also in contact with a number of players in India, including public sector units and private units for investing in critical minerals, Saffioti informed.
Promoting tourism to Western Australia was the priority talking point for the Deputy Premier during her trade mission in Delhi. India is currently Western Australia's 10th largest trading partner.
"Tourism is a huge opportunity to grow the relationship between India and Australia. We have a lot of tourists but we want to grow tourism. That's one of the key aims to promote investment in tourism infrastructure in Western Australia," she said.
In 2023, as many as 90,000 people from India visited Western Australia including those who visited the state for international education. Around 30,000 Indians visited last year for tourism purposes.
"We recorded 15 per cent growth in the number of people visiting from India in 2022. We believe there is an enormous opportunity to grow tourism," Saffioti asserted.
Saffioti suggested that Western Australia is "open" to any kind of investment in particular into hotels and other tourism-related experiences.
She also met with the Chairman of TATA, India's largest conglomerate, to explore potential collaborations.
The Invest and Trade WA Business Luncheon held at the Australian High Commission and meeting with the High Commissioner emphasised the commitment to bilateral economic and social growth through promoting tourism to Western Australia and during the luncheon, businesses like Perdaman Group advocated the importance of this.
Noting that Western Australia is abundant in critical minerals, the minister said that the state offers the potential to be a major producer of renewable energy to support India's clean energy transition and sustainable development (electric vehicles).
"This is a growing partnership in relation to mineral development. We have an abundance of critical minerals such as lithium and vanadium and potential as a major producer of renewable energy, including renewable hydrogen and energy technology, which places Australia in a prime position to support India's clean energy transition and sustainable development," she said.
"As energy demand rises, India is likely to meet a greater share of its energy needs through imports. There are opportunities for Indian investment in Western Australia through offtake agreements for key battery minerals," she added.
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