Australia Seeks Stronger Ties with India in Goods, Services, and Education

Green, in a conversation with ANI, said that there is a scope for a deal in the agriculture sector, without harming the Indian farmers.

"Both on the goods side and the services side, we can look for expansion. We can also look to move further forward on the recognition of each other's qualifications so it is easier for people to work on either side of the border," he said.

Green said that Australia wants some reduction of tariffs in Indian market.

"I know the Indian side is quite interested in labor mobility, making it easier for Indians to live and work in Australia. On the Australian side, it is largely about tariffs, which for us would include a further relaxation of agricultural tariffs. We think we can do that in ways that won't affect the interests of the ordinary Indian farmer. There is a basis for a deal there," he said.

Green recounted an emotional moment when he saw graduation of Indian students at an Australian university in India, which happened because Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the opportunity for foreign universities to open in India.

"This is a very exciting development. For the longest time, Indians have chosen Australia as a place for international education, and we welcome that. There are currently about 135,000 Indians studying in Australia. However, we don't think this should be a one-way street. When Prime Minister Modi opened the opportunity for foreign universities to open in India, the first two to do so were Australian," he said.

"One of the most emotional scenes I've seen since becoming ambassador was attending the first graduation of Indian students at an Australian university right here in India. It was outstanding to see those young people and their parents enjoying high-quality Australian education at a fraction of the cost and without the dislocation involved in moving overseas," Green said.

Green added that Australian visa system does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, and Indian students comprise the largest or the second-largest group there.

"That remains pretty steady. Our visa system is global and does not discriminate based on which part of the world someone is from. If people meet the criteria set out to study or work in Australia, they have the opportunity to do so. The numbers are already quite large, with 135,000 Indian students in Australia. It is either the largest or the second-largest group," he said.

Green said that Indians were a million strong diaspora in Australia.

"The last time I looked at the statistics, there were more than a million people of Indian origin in Australia. It has been reported in the media that this group has surpassed those of English origin, though I haven't personally checked that specific statistic. What is certainly clear is that there is an increasing number of people of Indian origin in Australia, which is a good thing," he said.

Green said that Indians occupy prominent positions in Australia and are significant contributors to the Australian economy.

"These people are making a significant contribution to our life and our economy. We see them in prominent positions in business and government. Some data from our census might surprise you: people of Indian origin are twice as likely as others in our community to have a master's degree. They are also 1.5 times more likely to open their own business and 1.5 times more likely to involve themselves in sporting, cultural, or social associations. Those are markers of a community making a real difference," he said.

Indian-Australian communities, now Australia's second-largest, and fastest-growing, overseas-born group, form the living bridge between both countries, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated.

- ANI