ACT is Australia's
Best Bet for Tie-ups
in ICT, High Tech R&D
Power is concentrated in the Capital cities that govern the countries. And so are the opportunities. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), with Canberra at its centre, offers opportunities that few other developed nations can match. For instance, the Australian Government dispenses business deals worth a mind-boggling sum of $156 billion on a regular basis. Apart from this, the ACT is eminently known for a major centre for excellence in research, the results of which are being commercialized on a large scale. In order to promote this concept of investment-oriented research applications, ACT's Chief Minister Jon Stanhope is embarking on a Mission India. In an exclusive interview to Veerendra Bhargava from Indo-Australian Business, Stanhope speaks about his forthcoming visit to this country.

At the outset we welcome you on your maiden visit to India as Chief Minister. Could you please tell us about the specific purpose of your mission?
Thank you. It's a pleasure to be making my first visit to India.
Our mission is first and foremost about getting a first-hand perspective of the economic opportunities unfolding in India, and making contact with key local businesses. It is also about presenting Canberra's credentials as Australia's centre of research and innovation.
Although the trade and investment relationship between Australia and India is growing, I believe there are fairly narrow perceptions on both sides about what our two countries have to offer.
Australia is often perceived as simply a source of agricultural products, raw materials and energy, and to be a net importer of technology-based products. On one level that's true, but Australia is also a major centre of excellence for research across a great number of fields, all of which embody technology and many of which are now moving down the path of commercialisation.
In Australia, the best example of our high-tech research and development capability is Canberra. This mission to India, which includes some of our most innovative businesses and institutions, is designed to get that message out. We are looking to demonstrate our capabilities and the commercialisation opportunities in Canberra.
We will be working hard to introduce our companies to like-minded Indian companies and institutions to explore trade and investment opportunities of mutual benefit.
The timing around NASSCOM is also important. It is our opportunity to get a real appreciation of India's ICT sector.
Finally, I see this mission as the beginning of a new and I hope very productive relationship between the ACT and India. I anticipate we will be back in India within 18 months.

The bilateral trade between India and the ACT is at an all-time high and growing at a fast pace. What should be done to sustain this pace and which sectors could contribute to such an endeavour?
Because of the way trade statistics are collated and reported in Australia, it is difficult to get an accurate picture of the level of direct trade between India and the ACT. However, it's probably safe to assume that the trade between our two economies is growing quickly, based on the level of growth between India and Australia.
There are three sectors of our economy that offer immediate trade and investment opportunities for India: ICT, given the nature of our economy and strategic strength in technology; education exports, given the international quality of our tertiary institutions and the appeal of studying and living in Canberra; and tourism, given Canberra's status as a national capital and custodian of truly world-class institutions such as the National Gallery of Australia and the Australian War Memorial.
Beyond these three sectors, we have world-class companies and institutions in space sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, security and defence technology, environment management and consulting, sport sciences and public administration. As home to the Australian Government, $AU200 billion worth of government procurement decisions are made in Canberra every year. If you want to be a serious player in the Australian Government procurement market, you have to have a presence in Canberra.
To keep up the pace of bilateral trade between our two economies, we need to gain a better understanding of each other's capabilities. I believe Indian firms and institutions will benefit from a clearer understanding of the extraordinary opportunities available in Canberra for smart and forward-thinking companies, and from seeing our city as the centre of research and innovation that it truly is.
At our end, Canberra's businesses and institutions need to understand exactly what is taking shape in India. India will undoubtedly be a major driver of world trade and technology in coming years, and we must integrate our companies into the emerging global supply chains that India is creating, shaping and driving.
The ACT is one of the leaders in the ICT sector and you are aware that India has also made its mark in this sector. Do you have any specific proposals to initiate and step up collaborations in this key sector?
The remarkable story of the Indian ICT industry is well known in Australia. I believe there are many opportunities for the ACT and India to collaborate, and exploring those opportunities is one of the main objectives of this mission.
Canberra has very strong capabilities in ICT supporting public administration, in many aspects of e-government, in ICT-based environment management systems and solutions and in emerging areas such as human performance management.
Our other strategic industry sectors, such as space, defence, and biotechnology, are also largely based around ICT-related technologies.
In Canberra, much of this advanced capability can be traced to our research base, which is easily the strongest in Australia. This great strength in research and commercialisation presents a real opportunity for collaboration.
Besides the ICT sector, the ACT has a highly developed film and entertainment industry, education sector, etc. Could you highlight the potential these sectors hold for collaboration between India and the ACT?
Canberra has a concentration of creative talent and expertise spanning different creative mediums, media, technology and applications. Canberra also has a creative industries infrastructure that is second to none in Australia.
In particular, Canberra has a significant digital media sector. A number of innovative local businesses have substantial overseas connections and international sales and investment. Canberra is also home to the Academy of Interactive Entertainment, a digital media industry training organisation. In fact, there are estimated to be around 500 cultural and creative businesses and organisations in Canberra, and there are great opportunities for collaboration in this field between India and the ACT. This is already happening to some degree with at least one Indian film partially filmed in Canberra in the last few years.
It should be noted the ACT Government supports screen-based creative industries through ScreenACT. This initiative is designed to develop the business outcomes of screenbased creative industry sectors, including film and television production, digital media and computer games development and animation.
Finally, Canberra is also the home of some of Australia's major cultural institutions, including the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia. The country's largest literary collection is also present in Canberra at the National Library, together with audio and film resources through its universities, public libraries, the National Archives, the National Museum, the Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and the National Film and Sound Archive. These provide significant opportunities for tourism, educational and other collaboration between India and the ACT.

During his visit to India early last year, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, talked about the purchasing potential of this country's 300 million strong middle class. How do you look at this vast market for your goods and services?
The ACT is a little different from the rest of Australia, as our economy is not oriented towards producing direct consumer goods and services or mass markets.
However, there are some exceptions.
Canberra has an exceptional cool climate wine industry, which produces wines of extraordinary quality. But they are produced in relatively niche market volumes and command premium prices on world markets. We also produce a range of speciality products across the region for niche and gourmet markets.
Our tourism experience is unique. We understand that Indian tourists will always be drawn to the beach, sun and sand culture of Australia's major states, but we'd like to think a trip to Canberra offers something quite different, which can add to the quintessential Australian experience.
Internationally, Canberra is seen as an attractive destination for international students. This is due to its multicultural society, and its reputation as a safe environment and as a provider of quality education with flexible learning pathways.
There are six major tertiary institutions in the ACT: the Australian National University; the University of Canberra; the Canberra Institute of Technology; the Australian Defence Force Academy; the Australian Catholic University; and the ACT Department of Education and Training. There are more than 6,000 overseas students enrolled at educational institutions in Canberra.
In these markets we are happy and proud to be a niche player. We service a small but high-value customer base, and we want to share more of these products and experiences with the people of India.
Finally, I should add that when the Indian cricket team tours Australia later this year, it will play a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra a traditional match for international touring teams.

What is your message to the Indian business community ahead of your visit to this country?
Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory is a regional economy with a difference in Australia. It offers extraordinary opportunities to partner with truly world-class research institutions, and is home to a vibrant small- to medium-size business sector that is reaching out to the world with unique products and services. The ACT is a great place to make strategic investments that position companies for the future. And on top of that, Canberra is a great place to live, work, study and visit.

Also could you give a special message to the readers of Indo-Australian Business, who comprise policy-makers, economists, and captains of industry and trade from both India and Australia?
Thank you for your invitation to contribute to this edition of Indo-Australian Business.
I look forward to my first visit to India, and to showing what the ACT has to offer to Indian business and the Indian community.
I thank Indo-Australian Business for its support for this mission, and I look forward to meeting your readers and other members of the Indian business community at the events we are holding while we are in India.