Chandigarh, September 9:- An important meeting was held in Chandigarh on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini with a delegation led by Australian High Commissioner to India Shri Philip Green. The meeting discussed in detail ways to enhance cooperation between Haryana and Australia in various areas, including education, higher education, skill development, innovation, agriculture, green energy, sports, tourism, investment and providing global opportunities to the youth.
Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini said that India and Australia share a strong and comprehensive strategic partnership. Trade, education, technology, innovation, skill development and people-to-people contacts between the two countries are continuously growing. In such a situation, there is vast potential for Haryana to further strengthen state-level cooperation with Australia. He said that it is a priority of the state government to ensure that the benefits of the strengthening India-Australia relationship reach the youth, students, farmers, entrepreneurs and industries of Haryana. Cooperation in education, skills, research, innovation and new technologies can provide fresh momentum to Haryana's development.
The meeting was attended by Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Rajesh Khullar, Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Ajay Kumar, Advisor to the Chief Minister in the Foreign Cooperation Department Shri Pawan Chaudhary, Joint Director of the Foreign Cooperation Department Ms. Heena Bindalish, representatives associated with the Australia-India Business Council and other members of the delegation. Detailed discussions were also held on giving a boost to trade and investment between Haryana and Australia and further strengthening business-to-business cooperation between the two sides.
Special Emphasis on Cooperation in Universities and Innovation
The meeting laid special emphasis on enhancing cooperation between universities of Haryana and leading universities and research institutions in Australia. Possibilities of joint research, student and faculty exchanges, and launching joint educational programmes in areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, agriculture, engineering, clean energy and public policy were discussed.
The Chief Minister said that Haryana is witnessing rapid expansion in higher education, technical education and research. By leveraging the expertise of Australian universities and research institutions, innovation, research and industry-academia partnerships in Haryana can be further strengthened. He also discussed the possibilities of Australian cooperation in developing Centres of Excellence, research and innovation hubs and training centres related to new technologies in Haryana.
Initiative to Connect Haryana’s Youth with Global Skills
The meeting also included detailed discussions on providing international-level skills to the youth of Haryana and connecting them with global employment opportunities. Possibilities of enhancing cooperation between Australian technical and vocational education institutions and Haryana's ITIs, polytechnics and skill universities were discussed. Both sides emphasized providing skill training according to industry requirements, modern curricula, English-language training, certification and training necessary for employment.
The Australian delegation also discussed possibilities of cooperation in training and skill development for the youth of Haryana according to employment opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, construction, advanced manufacturing, hospitality, logistics and IT in Australia.
Possibilities of Technical Cooperation in the Agriculture Sector
The meeting also discussed bringing together the expertise of Haryana and Australia in the agriculture sector. Cooperation possibilities in areas such as precision agriculture, water-efficient farming, climate-resilient agriculture, soil health, farm mechanization, dairy technology, food processing, cold chain and agri-innovation were highlighted.
Cooperation in Green Hydrogen and Clean Energy
Discussions were also held on enhancing cooperation in areas such as green hydrogen, solar energy, battery storage, renewable energy, waste-to-energy and circular economy. Possibilities of developing new projects in clean energy and future energy requirements by bringing together Haryana's industrial capabilities and Australia's technological expertise were considered.
Discussion on Investment and Advanced Manufacturing
The meeting also discussed possibilities of Australian investment in sectors such as automobiles, advanced manufacturing, agritech, technology, logistics and Industry 4.0. The Chief Minister said that Haryana's strong industrial economy, developed infrastructure, skilled human resources and rapidly developing innovation ecosystem offer significant opportunities for Australian companies and investors.
Possibilities of Cooperation in Sports and Tourism
The meeting also discussed cooperation in sports science, high-performance training, athlete development and sports management. Possibilities of providing Haryana's players with the benefit of Australia's expertise in various sports, including cricket, hockey, wrestling and boxing, were considered.
Tourism and cultural exchanges were also discussed. Australian High Commissioner Shri Philip Green invited Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini to visit Australia.
The Chief Minister said that people-to-people connect between the youth and institutions of the two countries can be further strengthened through education, skills, innovation, sports and tourism.