Mumbai, March 7
John Howard Prime Minister of Australia called for an expansion of ties between India and his country.
Speaking at a function here, Howard said there was plenty of scope for the two countries to mutually benefit from commercial links. “We in Australia are serious at the government level and we are serious at the commercial level,” Howard said at the function where several business deals were signed.
According to the Prime Minister, India along with China and Japan were promising since the middle class in these countries would be bigger in number than that of North America in the coming years.
Delegates accompanying Howard signed a number of deals with Indian businesses. Among those who signed agreements, included Reliance Petroleum, which along with Australia’s Santos Ltd would be hunting oil and gas in Southeast Asia.
The other major deal signed today included a tie-up between the Indian Institute of Technology and Melbourne’s Monsash University. “The IITB-Monash Research Academy will be a centre of excellence in research and clean energy, water, biotechnology, minerals exploration and computer simulation,” a joint statement said.
