Australia positions Karnataka as key partner: UNSW to open Bengaluru campus as ties strengthen
Australia is intensifying its partnership with Karnataka, establishing the state as a vital centre for cooperation in higher education, technology, and commerce. Education and technology stand out as core pillars of the bilateral relationship. In a major announcement, the University of New South Wales (UNSW), which is consistently ranked among the world’s leading institutions, has confirmed plans to launch a branch campus in Bengaluru. Conversations with the Karnataka government are progressing, with operations slated to begin next year.
Speaking at an interactive session organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry & Commerce (BCIC), International Business Expert Committee in collaboration with World Trade Center Bengaluru, Vik Singh, Consul (Commercial) and Trade & Investment Commissioner for South Asia at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, emphasised the accelerating momentum in Australia–India relations. He noted Karnataka’s pivotal role within this growing framework. Vik Singh described the move as a clear signal of Australian confidence in Karnataka’s skilled workforce and dynamic innovation landscape. He added that the campus will foster stronger academic linkages, collaborative research projects, and technology sharing, ultimately elevating Karnataka’s standing as an international centre for knowledge and learning.
The development represents a key step in Australia’s sustained commitment to India and reinforces Karnataka’s appeal to global academic institutions, investors, and innovation-focused enterprises.
Singh further pointed out that Karnataka ranks among Australia’s most vital partners in India, driven by shared strengths in education, entrepreneurship, and cutting-edge sectors. This is evident not only in expanding trade and investment but also in Australia’s decision to maintain one of its largest consular footprints in the country here, second only to the High Commission in New Delhi.
The India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) marks a historic milestone. K Ravi, Senior Vice President of BCIC, described the full removal of tariffs on 100 per cent of Australian tariff lines effective January 1, 2026, as a game-changer for Indian exporters. The agreement opens fresh avenues in textiles, engineering products, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, and agriculture, fuelling MSME expansion, job creation, and wider market penetration.
BCIC intends to support businesses, especially smaller enterprises, by facilitating readiness, buyer-seller connections, and strategic guidance to capitalise on the new opportunities, thereby deepening economic bonds between the two nations.
Connectivity received another lift with Qantas launching direct flights between Sydney and Bengaluru, streamlining travel for business, students, academics, and tourists.
Vik Singh identified several high-potential sectors set to gain from closer ties like clean energy, bolstered by Australia’s renewable energy investments and net-zero goals; education and skills, promoting student exchanges and joint research; agribusiness, with better market entry and advancements in food processing and agri-tech; and tourism, fuelled by increasing Indian outbound travel. The services sector, particularly IT, professional services, and education, stands to benefit most over the long term.
