Australia sees scope for deeper ties with Coimbatore in clean energy, education, and defence

The Hindu

22-05-2025

Australia and Coimbatore have the potential for stronger ties in areas such as clean energy, defence, medical technology, and education, said Tim Thomas, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), in Coimbatore recently.
David Eggleston, Australian Deputy Consul-General, and Mr. Thomas participated in an event at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Coimbatore zone, which discussed Australia's economic vision and its ambitions to strengthen bilateral relationships with Tamil Nadu, specifically Coimbatore.
A press release from CII said that Mr. Thomas outlined a broad agenda focused on enhancing engagement across economic, civic, cultural, and sports domains to bridge gaps and build a mutually beneficial partnership. He said that potential is high for collaboration in sectors such as clean energy, agriculture, education, travel, defence, space, medical technology, and sports. Coimbatore remains under-invested, yet highly promising, especially in areas such as edutech, manufacturing, and innovation-driven sectors, he said.
Ashok Bakthavathasalam, former chairman of CII Coimbatore Zone, highlighted Coimbatore's strength as a major economic contributor, accounting for approximately 14% of Tamil Nadu's GSDP.
A proposal was made to establish a dedicated Australia-Coimbatore Business Forum under the aegis of CII, and CAIR was invited to facilitate an Australian business delegation's visit to the region for deeper engagement.
Both sides expressed interest in student and faculty exchange programmes, especially in engineering and healthcare, and in expanding internship opportunities.
Mr. Thomas welcomed the proposals and encouraged identifying specific sectors for focused collaboration under the proposed Australia-Coimbatore Business Forum, the press release said.