MEDIA RELEASE
Inaugural Australia India Renewables Dialogue to Bolster Clean Energy Transition
The inaugural Australia India Renewables Dialogue, a landmark event aimed at strengthening the clean energy partnership between Australia and India, will take place on Tuesday 16 July 2024 in Sydney.
The high level event will be anchored by both the Australian and Indian Governments. The Hon. Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Australian Government will headline the event with a keynote, followed by an address from His Excellency Gopal Baglay, High Commissioner of India to Australia, Government of India.
The NSW Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Clean Energy Council have partnered with the Australia India Institute to make the event possible.
Held alongside the Australian Clean Energy Summit, the track 1.5 dialogue will bring together leaders from government, academia, and the private sector from both nations to explore opportunities related to their net-zero targets.
“The Australia-India collaboration in renewables remains bedevilled by a lack of understanding of the policies, capabilities and trade and investment opportunities on both sides,” said Australia India Institute CEO Lisa Singh.
“Many Indian firms see this as a roadblock to investment into Australia, while Australian companies struggle to navigate the Indian business landscape. This dialogue aims to turn that around.”
The Australia-India Renewables Dialogue aims to bridge this gap by fostering an environment where leaders from both countries can share insights, experiences, and strategies.
India’s progress toward meeting its target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030 is creating significant opportunities for Australia across areas of policy, financial investment, technological capabilities, and material development.
Similarly, there is significant scope for India to become a much bigger part of Australia’s energy transition, including as a major investor with opportunities for innovation, manufacturing, skills and jobs.
Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong:
“India is a priority market for NSW and we are keen to leverage the rising demand for our renewable energy capability, and explore new trade and investment opportunities created by our shared net-zero ambitions.
This dialogue provides another opportunity for India to become an important partner for NSW’s energy transition, and a major investor in NSW’s clean energy sector.”
The dialogue will delve into these themes through two main sessions:
- Spurring Innovation and Manufacturing: This session will examine ways India and Australia can collaborate to enhance clean energy cooperation and promote innovation and manufacturing aligned with their national agendas.
- Fostering Two-Way Trade and Investment: This session will explore commercial opportunities arising from Australia and India’s net zero goals, including supply chain diversification and bilateral business links.
“Australia and India both have a commitment to reach net zero, and it is through dialogue that we can explore new opportunities to expand our renewables capacity and realise our bilateral decarbonisation efforts,” said Ms Singh.
“We are natural partners in advancing clean energy solutions. As leaders in the Quad, we are responsible for shaping and driving synergies in renewable energy development and mineral resource management, revolutionising the energy security for our nations and the region.”
Australian delegates include:
- The Hon. Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Australian Government
- Rebecca McPhee, Incoming Deputy Secretary, Investment NSW
- Kane Thornton, Chief Executive, Clean Energy Council
- Sanjeev Gandhi, CEO, Orica
Indian delegates include:
- His Excellency Gopal Baglay, High Commissioner of India to Australia, Government of India
- Jayarama Prasad Chalasani, Group Chief Executive Officer, Suzlon Energy Limited
- Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
- Soma Banerjee, Deputy Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry