New Delhi — Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, said India and Australia have scope to expand cooperation across both goods and services, and to make it easier for Indians to live and work in Australia.
Speaking to ANI, Green pointed to opportunities on multiple fronts: tariff reductions on agricultural products that would not harm Indian farmers, wider trade in goods and services, and greater mutual recognition of professional qualifications to ease cross-border employment. He said there is a practical basis for an agricultural arrangement that reduces some Australian tariffs while protecting the interests of ordinary Indian farmers.
Green also recalled attending the first graduation of Indian students at an Australian university campus in India, calling it an emotional milestone. He welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move to allow foreign universities to open campuses in India, noting that the first two institutions to do so were Australian. That development, Green said, allows students to access high-quality Australian education at lower cost and without the disruption of moving overseas.
On student mobility, Green noted that around 135,000 Indian students currently study in Australia, making them either the largest or second-largest international student group there. He stressed that Australia’s visa system is merit-based and nondiscriminatory: if applicants meet the criteria to study or work, they have the opportunity to do so.
Green highlighted the size and economic contribution of the Indian-origin community in Australia, estimating it at more than one million people. He said people of Indian origin are disproportionately represented in higher education and entrepreneurship, noting they are twice as likely as others to hold a master’s degree and about 1.5 times more likely to start a business or take part in cultural, sporting, or social organizations.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade describes Indian-Australian communities as Australia’s second-largest and fastest-growing overseas-born group, forming a living bridge between the two countries. Green indicated that, with continued dialogue, both nations can build on these ties in ways that broaden trade, enhance services cooperation, and expand lawful labor mobility without harming domestic interests.
