Cook urges business to build on ‘incredible’ India trade mission

Deputy Premier Roger Cook has encouraged WA businesses to build on the momentum from a recent successful trade mission to India and turn newly forged relationships into “great contract opportunities”.

Speaking at a CCIWA- Australia India Business Council event in Perth last night, Cook, also the Minister for State Development, Jobs, Trade, Tourism and Science, said the mission was an “incredible trip” that showcased the best of what WA had to offer.

“We took over 100 delegates to India, representing over 70 different organisations, businesses, companies, government departments, taking that great message of Western Australia out,” he said to the 140 attendees.

“We are open for business, and we are ready to reengage with the rest of the world.”

The three Ps 

He outlined the three “Ps” for businesses to consider — passion, people and perspiration.

“To bring those relationships alive, to turn them into great contract opportunities, to turn them into transactions and to continue to diversify the Western Australian economy through great trade and economic relationships with one of the biggest, most exciting economies on the globe,” he said.

The Mission, between July 12-19 and attended by CCIWA, focused on reconnecting India and WA and leveraging the interim free trade agreement between Australia and India; AI-ECTA.

It included visits to Delhi, Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Chennai, with a focus on business investment, tourism, education, events and innovation as well as government relations. Cook also opened WA’s second trade and investment office in Chennai to complement operations in Mumbai.

Cook said a key message during the trip was the importance of establishing direct aviation links between Perth and India, noting he had “great discussions” with airlines Air India and Vistara (both owned by Tata Sons) and IndiGo.

“I accept the challenge that we need to actually make that happen and we are determined to make sure that we do it,” he said.

The CCIWA-AIBC event was an opportunity to hear more about doing business in the world’s largest democracy and the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with GDP projected to grow at 9 per cent over the next 18-24 months.

$4.6b trade opportunity 

India represents over $4.6 billion with trade with WA, Cook said.

“It’s an important trade partner, but it’s also an important community, and an important friend,” he said.

Simone Spencer, Deputy Director-General Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, provided an overview with key highlights from all four cities visited by mission delegates.

She said the purpose of the mission was to “take a large industry delegation to India and really make an impression, and I think we did that in spades”.

She said media coverage of the mission included 260 individual articles in India, the equivalent in value of $3 million in media coverage.

The event also included a panel discussion with Paul Hersey, COO of Ultra Power Systems and Anshu Gautam, AvidSys Group founding Director and Chairman, Australia, which was moderated by Neema Premji, Director, Premji Board Consultancy and Management Services.

The Vote of Thanks was provided by Faz Pollard, AIBC Committee member, and included playing a pre-recording from a local Indian school.

Michael Carter, head of CCIWA’s International Trade and Investment Centre, said the India Briefing event was a fantastic opportunity to hear about the mission “so that we all get a better understanding of how we can look at ways of developing that trade and investment linkage on both sides of the Indian Ocean”.

One of CCIWA’s outcomes from joining the mission was the signing of three strategic MoU’s; two in Chennai with The Indo Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Seafood Exporters Association Of India and one in Vizag with the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board.

Want to learn about trade opportunities in India and elsewhere in the world? Contact the team for a free consultation on (08) 9365 7620 or via [email protected].