South Australia eager to enhance trade ties with India

South Australia today outlined a 10-year strategy to enhance trade ties with India during the first meeting of the South Australia-India Council in Adelaide.

Tom Kenyon, trade minister of the Australian territory, said the strategy identifies key sectors of the economy in his state that could use India's relatively rapid development to create local jobs.

 According to an official statement, "The SA-India Council is holding its first meeting in Adelaide today as part of the state government's long-term strategy to become a significant trade and investment partner with India.

 "The South Australia-India Council, which includes experts from business, government and the community, will play a leading role in helping guide that strategy."

 The council is being supported by an India team within the department for manufacturing, innovation, trade, resources and energy (DMITRE), he said.

This team will focus on industry sectors identified in the India strategy - aerospace and defence, energy and natural resources, education and training and clean technology, Kenyon said.

"Commercial possibilities will be identified and prioritised and trade and investment strategies developed to ensure South Australia can respond rapidly and flexibly," he added.

 "Our ongoing efforts to develop an innovative, high-value manufacturing sector in SA are also critical to building the capabilities we'll need to respond to the emerging demands of a more prosperous India. We need to more effectively engage with this emerging economic powerhouse and our India Strategy sets out how we'll achieve that," he said.

"As outlined in the Premier's Economic Statement, we must become more outward-looking and be open to the economic opportunities afforded by export markets and to embrace the change and technologies that will help us become more productive.''

 The India Council, chaired by strategic adviser to India Brian Hayes, will be responsible for the governance, oversight and refinement of the India strategy, the statement said.