Deputy Premier Roger Cook has arrived in India for a week-long trip that will focus on growing Western Australia’s business relationships in India, opportunities in the healthcare sector, and our newest Sister State relationship.
Mr Cook is travelling to New Delhi as part of the Federal Government’s Australia Business Week in India initiative, which promotes Australian capabilities and investment opportunities.
The Deputy Premier will be taking part in a number of health-related meetings and site visits while in New Delhi, investigating opportunities for WA’s healthcare and biotechnology sectors.
Mr Cook will then travel to Hyderabad, and Amaravati, the new capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh.
WA and Andhra Pradesh signed a Sister State Agreement in December 2016, and since then both parties have been working to establish public and private sector partnerships in a variety of fields.
The Deputy Premier is expected to meet with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and together witness the formalisation of a number of these partnerships in areas such as road safety, education, geology and public service.
WA’s total trade with India was valued at $2.14 billion in 2016-17, with gold and copper products among our top exports.
Cook said “I look forward to representing the new Government at Australia Business Week in India, and building on work done over a number of years to grow our presence in India, like the new Sister State agreement with Andhra Pradesh.
“India is fast becoming a world leader in the development of new medical technologies and research, and during this trip I’ll be exploring how Western Australian companies can play a part in this growth.”