Australia India Youth Dialogue 2026 Concludes in Perth

The 14th Australia India Youth Dialogue (AIYD) concluded in Perth on July 31, 2026, bringing together a new generation of leaders from Australia and India alongside senior diplomats, political leaders, academics and industry representatives at the University Club of Western Australia.

Hosted by University of Western Australia Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma, the closing ceremony marked the culmination of the 2026 Dialogue, which brought together delegates working across foreign policy, government, business, technology, healthcare, sport, law, investment, media and the arts.

According to AIYD, this year’s Dialogue centered on the theme “Complex Systems: Reshaping Leadership in an Age of Transformation,” exploring how leadership must evolve as artificial intelligence and emerging technologies reshape economic, industrial, institutional and human systems.

The ceremony opened with a Welcome to Country delivered by Alton Walley.

Chakma addressed the gathering on UWA’s plans to establish campuses in Mumbai and Chennai as part of the university’s growing engagement with India and efforts to build deeper educational, research and cultural connections between the two countries.

India’s High Commissioner to Australia Nagesh Singh spoke about the breadth of the Australia India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership across political, defense, trade and economic ties, while underscoring the importance of people-to-people connections in strengthening the bilateral relationship.

City of Perth Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds welcomed delegates to Perth, highlighting the value of face-to-face relationships in building enduring ties between Australia and India and the potential for future collaboration emerging from the Dialogue.

The gathering also included Deputy High Commissioner Irina Thakur; First Secretary Harsh Chirania, Consul General of India in Perth Kajari Biswas; Consul General of India in Melbourne Anish Rajan; Federal Member for Burt Matt Keogh MP; WA MLA Yaz Mubarakai; and other representatives from government, diplomacy, academia and industry.

Dr. Anthony Vipin Das, Co-Chair of the AIYD Steering Committee, served as master of ceremonies for the evening.

Sports Lab Wins 2026 Grand Challenge

A key moment of the evening was the announcement of Team Five Sports as winner of the AIYD 2026 Grand Challenge for its proposal to establish an Australia India sports lab. The proposal looks towards a significant decade for sport in both countries, with Ahmedabad set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Brisbane the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, while India pursues its ambition to host the 2036 Olympics.

A Network of More Than 400 Leaders

Incoming Chair Tim Dwyer spoke about AIYD’s role in shaping the future of the Australia India bilateral partnership, as the organization’s alumni network grows to more than 400 members across sectors in both countries.

Australian delegates included professionals from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, healthcare, law, emerging technology, higher education, philanthropy and professional sport.

The Indian cohort similarly brought together leaders working across government, policy, infrastructure, healthcare, technology, international trade, politics, media, sport, the arts and social enterprise.

Delegate Eloise Dolan, Adviser, Asia Investment at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, reflected on the cultural exchanges and relationships developed during the week and the importance of keeping the human story at the center of an increasingly AI-driven world.

Delegate Suhail Chandhok, sports broadcaster and CEO of U Mumba, reflected on the relationships formed among delegates and the importance of carrying those conversations forward into concrete action after returning home.

Leadership Transition Marks Next Chapter

The Perth ceremony also marked a transition in AIYD’s leadership.

Associate Professor Michelle Jasper, who first joined AIYD as a delegate in 2013 and went on to serve as Chair of the Board and Co-Chair of the Steering Committee, was the outgoing chair after more than a decade of association with the Dialogue.

Tim Dwyer, Head of Product at Evercare and a 2022 AIYD alumnus, was confirmed as incoming Chair. 

Aman Gaur, Manager, Government and Industry Relations at APA Group, was also recognized for his contribution as he retired from the Steering Committee.

AIYD 2026 began in Brisbane before moving to Perth for the closing ceremony.

AIYD 2026 Delegates

Australian Delegates: Ajai Verma, Chief Medical Officer, Barwon Health; Aayushi Shah, Development Officer, World Food Forum (Australia Youth Chapter); David Ninan, Lawyer, Clayton Utz; Bikram Karmakar, Chief Medical Officer, Cronulla Sharks; Eloise Dolan, Adviser, Asia Investment, Australian Trade and Investment Commission; Hugh Lyons, General Manager, Legal & Business Services, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028, Australia & New Zealand; Lauren Paynter, Foreign Policy Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Liem Nguyen, International Philanthropy Manager, Myriad Australia; Mark Tamsitt, Director, India Implementation and Outreach Section, DFAT; Nakshathra Suresh, Co-Founder, EIRIS; Nikhil Gujadhur, Operations/Service Manager, WesTrac Caterpillar; Nitasha Bhatia, Senior Adviser, Austrade; Ruchi Sembey, Emerging Technologies Innovator, Monash University; Simran Keshwani, National Program Coordinator, Higher Education Industry; Srikar Maddi, Director, WeClan Asia-Pacific Innovation & Frontier Tech Connector; and Yann Sinclair, Vice-Consul, Australian Consulate General, Mumbai.

Indian Delegates: Antara Choudhury, Team Lead, Commissionerate of Cottage and Rural Industries, Government of Gujarat; Kirthika Shivkumar, Executive Director, Arram Charity Trust & The Indian Public School; Aashraya Seth, Senior Advisor (Industry, Science and Resources), Australian High Commission; Laetitia Warjri, Director of Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement, UAE-India CEPA Council; Boka K Rochill, Policy Analyst and Urban Systems Practitioner; Paridhi Gupta, Vice President, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Ernst & Young; Pramod Rao Haridas, Head of Terminals, Bangalore International Airport Limited; Ruchira Chaturvedi, National Secretary, Communications, Indian National Congress; Siddharth Hande, Founder and CEO, Kabadiwalla Connect; Sidharth MP, Principal Correspondent, WION; Suhail Chandhok, Sports Broadcaster and CEO, U Mumba; Taha Ahmad, Visual Artist and Photographer; Tejas Nair, Spryk; and Vaibhav Jain, Co-founder, TerraTrack.earth.

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