MELBOURNE, July 9/INDIAN ABROAD NEWSDESK
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Governor of Victoria Professor Margaret Gardner AC at Government House in Melbourne, where the two leaders discussed expanding education and research links between India and the Australian state, according to India’s Consulate General in Melbourne.
The meeting focused on strengthening academic collaboration, research partnerships and student mobility, reflecting the growing importance of education in the Australia–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
According to the Consulate General, both sides acknowledged that people-to-people connections remain one of the strongest foundations of bilateral relations and that the large Indian community in Victoria continues to play an important role in fostering closer ties.
The discussions also highlighted the increasing engagement between universities and research institutions in India and Victoria, with both leaders recognising the opportunities for deeper collaboration in higher education, innovation and skills development.
The meeting comes as Australia and India continue to expand educational cooperation, with several Australian universities establishing campuses in India and new initiatives aimed at promoting joint research, faculty exchanges and greater student mobility.
Modi’s engagement with the Governor formed part of a series of high-level meetings during his Melbourne visit, which also included the Third Australia–India Annual Summit with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and interactions with business leaders, the Indian diaspora and Australia’s sporting community.
The visit underscored the growing breadth of the Australia–India relationship, with education emerging alongside defence, trade, technology and people-to-people ties as a key pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
