A future NSW Liberal-Nationals government would send a senior delegation to India within its first year in office, with Liberal Leader Kellie Sloane and Nationals Leader Gurmesh Singh set to lead the proposed trade and investment mission. The Coalition says the initiative would strengthen commercial links, attract investment and create fresh opportunities for businesses across New South Wales.
Sloane said closer engagement with India would be central to the Coalition’s economic agenda, arguing that the country’s rapid economic expansion presents significant opportunities for NSW. She said a renewed focus on the relationship could help the state compete for Indian investment while opening additional overseas markets for local companies seeking to expand their exports.
The proposal comes as the Indian community continues to grow across NSW, with more than 350,000 residents identifying with Indian cultural heritage. The Coalition also highlighted two-way trade between NSW and India, which it puts at more than $6.8 billion, as evidence of the substantial economic relationship already connecting the state with the South Asian nation.
Under the proposed arrangement, Sloane would travel alongside Singh, who would serve as Deputy Premier if the Coalition forms government. The delegation would focus on attracting capital from India and creating export pathways for NSW enterprises. The Nationals have placed particular emphasis on regional industries, including agriculture and food production, which they believe could benefit from stronger access to Indian markets.
Singh said the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, signed in 2022, had already created new commercial possibilities for Australian producers. He argued that NSW should make greater use of those opportunities, particularly for farmers and regional businesses. The Nationals leader said stronger engagement could help expand overseas sales while supporting employment and economic activity outside Sydney.
The Coalition is also pointing to its previous record of engagement with India. Earlier NSW governments led by Barry O’Farrell, Mike Baird and Dominic Perrottet conducted business missions to the country, while NSW established trade, research and cultural arrangements with Gujarat. A sister-state relationship with Maharashtra was also established in 2012, providing another foundation for bilateral cooperation.
Sloane said those earlier initiatives demonstrated the value of maintaining direct relationships with Indian governments and business communities. The proposed new mission would seek to build on those foundations at a time when Australia and India are expanding cooperation in trade, investment, technology, education, agriculture and other areas. Australia’s broader relationship with India is underpinned by a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The Coalition has also challenged the current NSW Labor Government to match its commitment to an India mission. Singh accused the Minns Government of not doing enough to develop the state’s relationship with India during its term and said a stronger state-level approach could help businesses take advantage of opportunities created by Australia’s growing economic connection with the country.
For the Indian Australian community, the proposal places the diaspora and bilateral relationship at the centre of an important economic discussion ahead of the next NSW election. With Indian Australians contributing across business, agriculture, professional services and other sectors, stronger links between NSW and India could have implications well beyond government-to-government engagement.
The proposed mission ultimately represents an election commitment rather than a confirmed government program, with its implementation dependent on the Coalition winning office. If delivered, Sloane and Singh would seek to use the visit to promote NSW as an investment destination, expand export opportunities and deepen commercial ties with one of Australia’s most important international economic partners.
