SYDNEY, OCTOBER 19/INDIAN ABROAD NEWSDESK
The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) celebrated four decades of promoting business, trade and economic cooperation between Australia and India with a gala event in Sydney on October 16, marking the exact anniversary of its establishment on October 16, 1986.
According to the AIBC, the celebration brought together business leaders, former state committee chairs, government representatives, diplomatic officials, sponsors and industry stakeholders to recognise 40 years of engagement and partnership between the two countries.
The Sydney gala was part of a series of events planned to commemorate the council’s 40th anniversary. The celebrations began with the Bank of New South Wales Australia-India Address, which brought together key representatives of the Australia-India business community.
The AIBC said the gathering included the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), the Consul General of India, business partners, sponsors and the keynote speaker. Their participation reflected the growing importance of bilateral business relations and the expanding opportunities for cooperation.
An important feature of the programme was a panel discussion on opportunities under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). The discussion examined how the trade agreement has helped simplify business engagement and create greater opportunities for companies in both countries.
According to the AIBC, the Consul General of India emphasised the importance of strengthening engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), highlighting their potential contribution to future economic cooperation between the two countries.
The anniversary celebration also recognised the contribution of AIBC’s past and present members, whose involvement and leadership have helped sustain the organisation’s work over four decades.
The AIBC NSW president thanked the sponsors and business partners for supporting the milestone event and acknowledged their contribution to strengthening commercial relationships between Australia and India.
Renowned Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor was also specially acknowledged for curating the evening’s culinary experience, bringing Indian flavours to the anniversary celebrations.
The AIBC’s National Chair extended appreciation to members, past and present, for their dedication and vision in building the foundation for the council’s continuing role in Australia-India business engagement.
The 40th anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of commercial relations between the two countries and explore new avenues for trade, investment, innovation and industry partnerships, particularly under the ECTA framework.
