AIBC opens' India Desk' to facilitate Indian business in Australia

Melbourne, June 9 (UNI) Encouraged by the rapidly increasing trade between India and the state of Victoria, Australia India Business Council (AIBC) has opened a facility here to facilitate Indian businesses to explore business opportunities in this part of Australia.

In a two-day India Conference 2006, which was organised by CPA Australia, the AIBC and the Australian Institute of Export, concluded here today, AIBC's Victorian head Harish Rao said, ''The interest in developing business links with India has enabled the AIBC in Victoria to establish an ''India Desk'' -- a first point of contact for Indian companies looking to enter the Australian market.'' AIBC also encouraged more Australian businesses to foray into the sub-continent by establishing trade links and also by pouring more investments in that part of the world.

''India is already recognised as the prime location in Asia for business process outsourcing. However, manufacturing, construction, hi-tech, education, mining, financial services and many more are gaining a growing market share,'' Mr Rao further said in the media release.

Besides announcing the establishment of the India Desk, special classes to train Australian businessmen to do trade with Indian government and business organisations were also organised as a part of the India Conference 2006.

India is a sleeping giant in the world of emerging markets and it offers numerous business opportunities to Australian companies -- the participants in the inaugural India Conference in Melbourne were told.

With India's economy burgeoning with every financial year, more and more Australian businesses are showing interest in establishing trading links with their Indian counterparts, various keynote speakers at the Conference emphasised.

Key speakers included Senior Trade Commissioner South Asia for government owned international trade promotion body Austrade Mike Moigrand, senior business executive for Bluescope Steel Mark Cain.

Senior adviser for a well-respected India-based consultancy firm S P Joshi, Director Hutchison Telecoms Australia Michael Young, Programme Director in influential Lowy Institute for International Policy Mark Thirwell and Head of Australia-India Film Council Anupam Sharma were among keynote speakers at the conference.

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