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Our Bureau

Chennai , Sept. 27

THE services sector's contribution of Australia's exports to India is growing at a good pace, far more than that of physical goods, according to the Minister Commercial, Australian High Commission in India, Mr Peter Kane.

He told a press conference here that the level of trade between the two countries is about $2.7 billion, with India's exports to Australia accounting for only $800 million. The services sector's contribution to Australia's exports to India will make up about $300 million.

Mr Kane said that this was principally from education and tourism. There were at least 10,000 Indian students studying in Australia. And, from about 3,000 Indian tourists visiting Australia in the 1990s, the number had grown to about 45,000 now. The growth in exports of physical goods was a little patchy in the last few years, unlike in the 1990s when the exports grew at a good pace.

Australia's exports of physical goods to India were primarily made up of coking coal, gold, wool, cotton (whose exports had fallen now because of drought in Australia), and minerals. India's exports consisted of garments, precious stones, leather products, auto components and machinery.

Mr Kane was talking to the press after inaugurating an exhibition showcasing products made by Australian small and medium enterprises. The exhibition was organised by Austrade, the Australian Trade Commission, and the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce. The Minister Commercial said such exhibitions provided the network for Austrade to showcase more Australian products.

Mr Sarabeswaran, President, Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce, said that India's exports to Australia accounted for just 0.8 percentage point of Australia's total imports. To increase India's exports to Australia, the Chamber planned to take a delegation in the first fortnight of March with a focus on food and food processing, biotechnology, agro-forestry/wasteland development, health care, and information technology. The Chamber would consider a similar exhibition of Indian products in Australia.

Answering questions, Mr Kane said that Australia placed enormous importance on India as a trading destination. While China had hogged the limelight, India could not be ignored.

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