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Australia-Gujarat Forge Olympic & Green Energy Partnership Ahead of 2036 Games

Australian High Commissioner Philip Green met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to discuss leveraging Australia's experience in sustainable Olympic infrastructure planning for the 2036 Games. The talks covered potential partnerships in advanced sports training, sports science research through Deakin University, and a proposed Gujarat delegation visit to Brisbane. High Commissioner Green also expressed Australia's willingness to support Gujarat's renewable energy transition, praising the state's progress. The meeting highlighted strengthened India-Australia relations under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

Key Points: Australia, Gujarat Discuss Olympic Prep & Renewable Energy Collaboration

  • Olympic infrastructure planning
  • Sports training & research
  • Renewable energy transition
  • Higher education partnerships
  • India-Australia bilateral ties
2 min read

Australian Envoy meets Gujarat CM, explores collaboration on Olympics and renewable energy

Australian High Commissioner meets Gujarat CM to explore sports infrastructure, training for 2036 Olympics and renewable energy partnership.

"Collaboration with Australia would help Gujarat's athletes access world-class training systems - Bhupendra Patel"

Gandhinagar, Jan 21

Philip Green, High Commissioner of Australia to India, paid a courtesy visit to Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar, with discussions focusing on sports infrastructure, Olympic preparedness, higher education and renewable energy cooperation.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister highlighted Gujarat's readiness to leverage Australia's experience in the sustainable, long-term use of Olympic infrastructure, including housing and sports facilities.

Referring to preparations for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, the two sides discussed Australia's approach to infrastructure planning and post-Games utilisation.

High Commissioner Green explained how facilities developed for the Brisbane Olympics are planned to be repurposed after the event, including conversion into public housing and student accommodation, while sports venues would be used for multiple events and community activities.

He invited a high-level delegation from Gujarat to visit Brisbane to review Olympic preparations firsthand and expressed Australia's interest in partnering with Gujarat on advanced sports training, particularly in swimming, para-athletics and high-performance centres.

The Chief Minister welcomed the proposal and said collaboration with Australia would help Gujarat's athletes access world-class training systems, strengthening their performance prospects ahead of the 2036 Olympic Games.

The High Commissioner also briefed the Chief Minister on plans to establish a comprehensive sports ecosystem through Deakin University at GIFT City. The proposed initiative aims to go beyond a conventional centre of excellence by integrating sports science, sports research and sports business programmes.

He also invited the Chief Minister to attend Deakin University's first convocation ceremony, scheduled for March 2026.

The Chief Minister noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India-Australia relations have strengthened steadily, with Australia's participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit contributing to Gujarat's growth across sectors such as gems and jewellery, textiles and apparel, life sciences and pharmaceuticals.

Commending Gujarat's rapid progress in renewable energy, High Commissioner Green expressed Australia's willingness to extend its expertise to support the state's renewable energy transition.

He also praised the solar rooftop training facilities at Pandit Deendayal Energy University, which have the capacity to train 2,000 participants, highlighting the increasing participation of women in these programmes.

The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary Ajay Kumar, Managing Director of iNDEXTb Keyur Sampat, and other senior officials.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who studied in Australia, I'm thrilled about the Deakin University initiative at GIFT City. Integrating sports science and business is the future. Hope this collaboration provides more opportunities for our athletes and creates skilled jobs in sports management.
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Rohit P
Good step, but we must ensure the benefits reach grassroots athletes, not just elite centers. Also, while learning from Australia is great, our planning for 2036 must be uniquely Indian - affordable, scalable, and accessible to all states. The solar training for women is a brilliant highlight!
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Priya S
Converting Olympic villages into public housing and student accommodation is such a smart, sustainable idea. We should adopt this model fully. Gujarat-Australia ties are really strengthening across sectors. Jai Gujarat!
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Michael C
The renewable energy collaboration is the real win here. Australia has vast experience with solar and wind at scale. Combining that with Gujarat's implementation prowess can accelerate India's green transition significantly. A pragmatic partnership.
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Kavya N
Hope the focus on para-athletics is genuine and leads to better facilities and support for our para champions. They bring so much glory to the nation with limited resources. This partnership must deliver tangible improvements for them.

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