From the halls of Queensland Parliament to the waters of Sydney Harbour, the 2026 IABCA Australia Immersion Week brought together business, government and community leaders for a journey through enterprise, culture, sport and shared ambition.
Held from 22 to 26 September across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, the five-day program encompassed seven experiences, combining leadership discussions and industry insights with cultural encounters, an awards celebration and opportunities for informal connection.
The India Australia Business & Community Alliance, founded in 2014, has developed a platform for engagement between the two countries through business, government, academia and community networks. Founded and facilitated by Sonia Sadiq Gandhi, IABCA places people-to-people connections at the centre of its work, with forums, roundtables, delegations and recognition programs extending beyond its annual awards.
This year’s immersion began at Queensland Parliament on 22 September with a welcome reception and panel session presen ted in partnership with Trade and Investment Queensland. Government and business representatives gathered alongside the AustCham India delegation to consider how opportunities between Queensland and India could translate into enterprise and investment.
The Hon Ros Bates MP, Consul General Mrs Neetu M. Bhagotia and Peter Varghese AO joined a leadership discussion exploring practical pathways for trade, investment and collaboration. The opening reception established a theme that continued throughout the week: building relationships that can support cooperation well beyond the event itself.
The delegation’s journey continued in Sydney on 23 September, where the Art Gallery of NSW hosted the IABCA Global Leaders Forum under the theme “People. Place. Partnership.” Discussions explored talent, tourism, investment, technology, standards, culture and sport, reflecting the breadth of the Australia–India relationship.
The forum featured the IABCA Australia–India Leadership Pulse and the launch of Commonwealth Bank’s India Opportunity Research and Insights. Its agenda also considered how talent pipelines, business mobility, market access, diaspora connections and alumni networks could support greater economic engagement between the two countries.
A private viewing of *Avatar: Forms of Vishnu* complemented the discussions, placing Indian art and cultural heritage within a day focused on future partnerships. The gallery setting offered a reminder that cultural understanding is part of the foundation on which international relationships develop.
On 24 September, attention turned to Melbourne, where the National Gallery of Victoria hosted the IABCA Awards Gala for the first time. According to the organisers’ recap, more than 300 guests gathered to celebrate achievements across business, innovation, research, trade, culture and community, with an exclusive viewing of *Cartier: The Exhibition* adding to the occasion.
Addressing the gala on behalf of the Australian Government, the Hon Julian Hill MP emphasised the importance of translating the relationship’s momentum into greater business participation. As quoted in IABCA’s recap, he said: “The opportunity now is to build on the momentum in the Australia–India relationship by increasing Australian business engagement and investment across the corridor.”
The awards recognised contributions ranging from established enterprise to emerging leadership. Rajni and Pawan Luthra, founders of Indian Link Media Group, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Professor Mohan Yellishetty of Monash University received the Australia India Impact Award in the individual category, while Addverb Australia won the organisation category.
Neil Saligrama, founder and CEO of Compare & Connect, was named Business Leader of the Year, and Lina Ashar, founder of Dreamtime Learning School, received Business Woman of the Year. Renew IT and UNSW Smart Centre were recognised in the Australia India Science, Research & Development category. Other winners included Orica for Large Business of the Year, InQuik for Excellence in Innovation, CUMI Australia for Excellence in Trade, Investment and Partnerships, and DoxAI for SME of the Year.
Together, the winners illustrated the range of industries and expertise contributing to the relationship. Their recognition also gave delegates an opportunity to encounter the people and organisations behind the partnerships discussed throughout the week.
The formal program gave way to Melbourne’s sporting atmosphere on 25 September, as delegates visited the Australian Sports Museum at the MCG and experienced the AFL Grand Final Parade and AFL Footy Festival.
For visiting business leaders, Grand Final Week offered a distinctive introduction to the place of sport in Australian life. The museum, parade and festival provided different ways to experience the city, from its sporting history to the crowds and community traditions surrounding a major national occasion.
The journey concluded back in Sydney on 26 September with an AustCham delegation tour on the harbour. A private catamaran experience and Australian barbecue created a relaxed setting for visiting business leaders from India to continue conversations and strengthen connections formed across the preceding days.
Against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour, the final gathering brought the week’s emphasis on personal relationships into focus. Meetings, exhibitions, awards and sporting experiences had offered different settings for delegates to exchange ideas and learn about one another.
For Australia’s Indian community, IABCA 2026 highlighted how the bilateral relationship is shaped by contributions across many areas of life. Business leaders, researchers, educators, cultural organisations and community voices each have a role in connecting the two countries. Across five days and three states, the immersion week brought those contributions into a shared conversation about what comes next.
Sources: IABCA post-event recap supplied by the user; IABCA official program, advisory page, winners list and forum information.https://www.iabca.com.au/alumni
