‘Education, technology continue to be priority sectors in Indo-Australian partnership’

Education and technology continue to be priority sectors in the Australia–India partnership, indicated Vik Singh, Consul (Commercial) and Trade & Investment Commissioner, South Asia, Australian Trade and Investment Commission here on Tuesday.

Mr. Singh was speaking at an interactive session on Tariff-Free Access for Indian Exporters under India-Australia ECTA, at the Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce (BCIC) in the City.

There was a growing momentum in Australia–India ties, with Karnataka playing a central role in this expanding partnership, he highlighted.

The Karnataka government had earlier said that University of New South Wales (UNSW) would open its campus in Bengaluru in August this year.

“As one of the world’s leading universities, UNSW’s decision to establish a presence in Bengaluru reflects the confidence Australian institutions have in Karnataka’s talent ecosystem and innovation potential,” Mr. Singh remarked, adding, “This campus will play a key role in strengthening academic collaboration, research partnerships and technology exchange between Australia and India.”

Karnataka, he further said, has emerged as one of Australia’s most important partners in India, driven by strong synergies in education, innovation and enterprise. This was reflected not only in growing trade and investment flows, but also in Australia’s decision to establish one of its largest consular presences in India here in Karnataka, second only to the High Commission in New Delhi, Mr. Singh added.

K. Ravi, Senior Vice President, Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce (BCIC) said, the implementation of tariff-free access for Indian exporters under the India–Australia ECTA was a landmark development that would significantly enhance India’s export competitiveness in global markets.

“With 100% of Australian tariff lines moving to zero duty from January 1, 2026, this historic step unlocks new opportunities across key sectors such as textiles, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery and agriculture — accelerating MSME-led growth, boosting employment and broadening India’s export reach,’’ Mr. Ravi further said.

EoM