To mark India’s 80th Independence Day this year, I sat down at the Melbourne Law School podcast studio with India’s new High Commissioner to Australia, His Excellency Nagesh Singh. He eloquently unpacked India’s freedom struggle after 200 years of British rule and India’s incredible rise since. We also explored the High Commissioner’s observations of Australia since his arrival in Canberra and what the future holds for India, its people and the Australia–India partnership.
Planning is underway for the Institute to host an Australia India Defence Industry Roundtable in October in Perth. The Roundtable will identify the opportunities and current barriers in bilateral defence industry cooperation, and develop practical recommendations to guide government and industry efforts. We have also launched our Mission UTTHAN Research Pathways Accelerator as part of our collaboration with Regional Universities Network and Section Infin8 Foundation.
The confirmation of dates and India’s participation for the second time in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2027, a joint military training exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, is welcome news. Recognising the nature of an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific, the greater scale and complexity of these exercises is significant, including the incorporation of an additional 24 partner nations working towards a free and open region.
This month we share a number of new publications from our researchers on submarine cables, Bangladesh’s transition and why the Maldives matters to Australia.
Our cultural ties continue to inspire us across our two nations. The upcoming India Community Day at the National Gallery of Victoria has become an annual fixture of community engagement in Melbourne. Equally, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne has become a staple in Melbourne’s event calendar paying homage to Indian cinema and culture. It was wonderful to attend the opening of this largest celebration of Indian film outside of India.
With the many Indian festivals coming up over the next month, I pass my well wishes to all those who celebrate.
Best,
Lisa