Bangalore: The education fraternity, today, witnessed the launch a new Study Melbourne Hindi website by the State Government of Victoria to connect with Hindi-speaking audiences in India. The website, namely – www.studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/hindi is equipped to enable better access and provision to education related information for Victoria. Launching the website was the Hon. Louise Asher, Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business, Minister for Tourism and Major Events who unveiled the new website in the presence of education agents and professionals at the Australia High Commission.

The announcement follows the arrival of the largest trade delegation ever of more than 60 companies from Victoria, Australia, led by the Minister to promote business and cultural links with India. The Minister, who has been in the country since Monday, is leading the Trade Mission delegation on her first official international visit under the Baillieu Government.

At the occasion, the Hon. Minister Asher said, “we are positive the new website will enable better access to Hindi-speaking students, parents, friends, teachers and education agents in India and help us attain stronger ties with them in the process.”

She added, “around 45 per cent of all Indian students in Australia are studying in Victoria. The Victorian Government has made the welfare of these students a renewed priority and now enabled Indian students to access the full range of support information online in their own language.”

Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Peter Varghese, said “I welcome this initiative to reach out to a Hindi-speaking audience, particularly parents, to convey the benefits of study in Australia.”

India makes up the second largest group of international students, behind China. In 2010 there were approximately 46,000 Indian student enrolments in courses in Victoria.

The Hon. Minister Asher said participating companies in the Victorian Government-led Trade Mission to India represents the very best of Victoria’s advanced industry capabilities in the fields of automotive, sustainable urban design, aviation, cleantech, food and beverages and ICT.

“These innovative Victorian companies offer their Indian counterparts the highest quality products, services and R&D in the Asia-Pacific region at very competitive costs.

“Through this visit and other activities planned as part of our Trade Engagement Program for India, we look forward to significantly boosting partnerships with India, one of the world’s fastest-growing and most exciting economic powerhouses.”

Trade and investment between Victoria and India has surged in recent years, with Victorian exports to India tripling since 2005. Leading Indian firms Mahindra and Mahindra and the Wadhawan Group, as well as nine out of India’s top 15 ICT companies, have established a strong presence in Victoria.

While in Delhi, a memorandum of understanding is also being signed between the Australian Federation of Automotive Products Manufacture (FAPM) and India’s Automotive Components Manufacturers Association (ACMA) towards closer sectoral collaboration and the expansion of bilateral trade and investment.

The Hon. Minister Asher will also meet senior Indian ministers and business leaders to discuss other trade and investment opportunities.

The Victorian Coalition Government’s comprehensive Trade Engagement Program for India also includes plans for more large targeted Trade Missions over the next two years.

The Victorian Government Business Office in Bangalore also provides an extensive range of support services for Indian companies looking to do business in Victoria.

The relationship between Victoria and India has strengthened over the past few years. Indians also favour Victoria and this is reflective in the 200,000 Indians living in Victoria. India is also one of Victoria’s fastest growing inbound tourism markets generating more than 51,800 visitors in 2009/10.