Haryana, Australia explore wider cooperation in education, skills, innovation and investment

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said there was wide-ranging scope for strengthening cooperation between Haryana and Australia in education, skill development, innovation, agriculture, green energy, investment, sports and tourism.

Saini made the remarks during a high-level meeting with a delegation led by Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green in Chandigarh. The discussions focused on expanding state-level cooperation and creating new avenues for global skills, employment and investment opportunities for Haryana’s youth.

Noting that India and Australia share a strong and comprehensive strategic partnership, with growing cooperation in trade, education, technology, innovation, skills and people-to-people ties, the Chief Minister said the Haryana government was committed to ensuring that the benefits of the expanding bilateral relationship reached the state’s youth, students, farmers, entrepreneurs and industries.

The meeting placed particular emphasis on collaboration between Haryana’s universities and leading Australian universities and research institutions. The discussions covered joint research, student and faculty exchange programmes, and joint academic programmes in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, agriculture, engineering, clean energy and public policy.

Saini said Australian expertise could help strengthen Haryana’s research, innovation and industry-academia ecosystem. The two sides also explored cooperation in setting up Centres of Excellence, innovation hubs and training centres focused on emerging technologies.

Skill development and global employment opportunities for Haryana’s youth were another key area of discussion. Possibilities of linking Australian technical and vocational institutions with Haryana’s ITIs, polytechnics and skill universities were examined, with emphasis on industry-oriented training, modern curricula, English-language skills and internationally recognised certification.

The Australian delegation dwelt on skill-development programmes aligned with employment opportunities in Australia in sectors including healthcare, construction, advanced manufacturing, hospitality, logistics and information technology.

The two sides also explored technical cooperation in agriculture, including precision farming, water-efficient agriculture, climate-resilient practices, soil health, mechanisation, dairy technology, food processing and cold-chain infrastructure.

Cooperation in green hydrogen, solar energy, battery storage, renewable energy, waste-to-energy and the circular economy was also discussed. Saini said Haryana’s industrial capabilities could be complemented by Australia’s technological expertise to develop projects addressing future energy needs.

Investment opportunities in automobiles, advanced manufacturing, agri-tech, technology, logistics and Industry 4.0 were also explored. The Chief Minister highlighted Haryana’s industrial base, infrastructure, skilled workforce and emerging innovation ecosystem as key advantages for Australian investors.

The meeting further discussed cooperation in sports science, high-performance training, athlete development and sports management, including opportunities to leverage Australian expertise in cricket, hockey, wrestling and boxing. Saini said cooperation in education, skills, innovation, sports and tourism could further strengthen people-to-people ties between Haryana and Australia.