Australia looks to build tech bridge with India

Australia is to demonstrate the potential of its research and development (R&D) in a month-long showcase in India with the aim of building stronger technology transfer links between the two countries.

Academics from leading Australian universities, such as Melbourne, New South Wales, and Sydney, will all attend the event as Australia looks to raise its profile as an attractive destination for Indian companies. Research and technology on display will focus on sectors where Australia has developed significantly, such as ICT, biotech, advanced manufacturing, and energy efficiency.

Nicola Watkinson, the Australian Trade Commission’s (Austrade) senior trade and investment commissioner in New Delhi, said: “This is the largest concentration of Australian scientific and research know-how to be showcased in India and the interest from India’s major commercial entities has been overwhelming. India’s large multinationals, including the Tata Group, Reliance, Aditya Birla, Mahindra, Infosys and Wipro, are all allocating significant budgets for research and development to improve competitiveness and productivity.”

She added: “The Indian government has stated it is seeking to increase the R&D focus of its companies and of course India’s major conglomerates need to maintain their edge. This provides a good environment for more opportunities for Australia.”