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Dear
Reader,
Greetings. Australia's
new Prime Minister
Kevin Michael
Rudd is a workaholic
and man in a hurry.
Soon after taking
over the reigns
in December 2007
after a landslide
victory in elections,
Rudd ordered Parliament
to sit for five
days a week instead
of four. He quickly
identified his
government's priorities.
He has admitted
as having inherited
a robust economy,
posting an impressive
growth rate for
the 16th year
in a row. But
Rudd believes
that the rate
of inflation,
which has been
on the rise for
the last two years,
can upset the
pace of economic
growth if left
unchecked. He
has reviewed the
situation and
announced a five-point
strategy to tackle
inflation. Looking
at the global
perspective, Rudd
has identified
the slowdown in
economic growth
in the US, Japan
and Europe and
the rise of economic
clout of China,
India, Russia
and Brazil as
factors throwing
up challenges
for countries
such as Australia.
Rudd has expressed
all his thoughts
in an address
he delivered recently
in Perth, which
forms the cover
story of the current
issue of Indo-Australian
Business. One
man who shares
Rudd's passion
for expediting
work is his cabinet
colleague and
Minister for Trade
Simon Crean. He
was the first
Minister of the
new Australian
Government to
visit India to
express his regime's
commitment to
step up bilateral
trade with this
country. During
his India stay,
Crean addressed
a partnership
summit meeting
of the Confederation
of Indian Industry
(CII) at Gurgoan
near New Delhi
and the Bombay
Chambers of Commerce
and Industry in
Mumbai, where
he touched the
issues as wide
ranging as the
global trade,
the Doha Round
of talks and two-way
Indo-Australian
investment. We
carry Crean's
India visit as
our Focus report.
For South Australia
Premier Mike Rann,
India means business.
Ahead of his visit
to India in March
2008, Rann addressed
an Indian business
delegation in
Adelaide recently
touching various
aspects of Indo-Australian
relations. We
carry a report.
Export-Import
Bank of India
has made an exhaustive
study on the importance
of regional trade
agreements (RTAs)
and their role
in promoting global
trade. We highlight
the study because
of its significance
from India's stand
point. The issue
also carries an
interview with
Dr. William Dar,
Director General,
ICRISAT, on the
role that the
Institute's flagship
initiative, Agri-Science
Park, has been
playing in helping
the poor farmers
gain access to
affordable technologies
and suitable markets.
Then we have a
report on the
fun-filled annual
Fringe festival
of Adelaide beginning
on 22 February,
2008. Besides
all these, we
have news and
other regular
features.
Wish you happy
reading,
Satya
Swaroop
Managing Editor
satya@newmediacomm.biz |
