Forty years after it was established in 1986, the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) brought its anniversary celebrations to Perth on Friday, October 23, 2026, with its Western Australia chapter hosting the Annual Australia-India Business Address and Dinner at the Duxton Hotel.
Four Decades of Australia-India Business Ties
Opening the evening, Jyothi Tegginamath, State President of AIBC Western Australia, reflected that the Australia-India relationship “is vastly different from what it was in 1986,” having “grown stronger, deeper and more meaningful,” with people “at the heart of this remarkable journey.”
Her message for the council’s next chapter was about results. She urged members to turn dialogue into outcomes, saying “it is the people who matter, the conversations that lead to commitments, and the commitments that translate into action.”
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Tegginamath thanked the chapter’s committee, including Vice President Siva Murugappa, Treasurer Sesh Yerramsetti and committee members David McCulloch, Surya Ambati, Tamara Thorpe, Punit Mahal, Isaac Stewart and Anand Sheth, along with the event’s sponsors, government partners and AIBC members.
Trade Opportunities Beyond ECTA
Delivering the keynote address, Kajari Biswas, Consul General of India in Perth, said that four years after the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) was signed in 2022, India’s exports to Australia had more than doubled, from US$4 billion in fiscal year 2020-21 to US$8.5 billion in 2024-25. Since January 1, 2026, she noted, all Indian exports have been eligible to enter the Australian market duty-free.
Biswas described Western Australia as “a resources, energy, innovation and trade powerhouse” and pointed to India’s energy transition as a significant opportunity for Western Australian business, with the state’s strengths in renewable energy, hydrogen and critical minerals. She said the opportunities extend beyond resources, congratulating Ram Kuppusamy’s Space Angel on securing three memorandums of understanding that will see Indian companies use the Australis Polar spaceport on the Nullarbor Plain on a commercial basis.
Turning to the council itself, Biswas said the AIBC’s 40-year history “gives it credibility, its network gives it reach, and its members give it the practical experience needed to turn opportunities into outcomes.”
From Entrepreneurship to Public Service
In a session titled “Success Story from India to WA Parliament,” Yaz Mubarakai MLA, Member for Oakford, described arriving in Western Australia as an international student at Edith Cowan University and going on to run a post office and a cafe, saying those businesses helped him build relationships in the local community and deepened his commitment to public service. AIBC said his story reflected the contribution of Indian-origin entrepreneurs to Western Australia’s business and community life.
Building the Next Chapter
AIBC National Chair Deepak-Raj Gupta OAM, who traveled from Canberra for the anniversary, joined the panel discussion “ECTA: Building Today, Shaping Tomorrow,” moderated by committee member Isaac Stewart. He was joined by Pamela Currie, Western Australia State Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Prof. Jennifer Howell, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement at the University of Western Australia; and Michael Carter, Head of International Trade and Investment Services at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia.
Panelists discussed the practical challenges businesses face when entering international markets and the value of industry collaboration, market understanding and trusted networks. They identified opportunities in critical minerals, renewable energy, technology, education, agribusiness and professional services, and described the broader Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as the next opportunity for bilateral economic engagement.
Guests included Phil Twiss MLC; Abdul Ekram of Austrade; Prof. Sharath Sriram, Western Australia’s Chief Scientist; Prakash Gupta, Treasurer of the AIBC Victorian chapter; Nilesh Makwana, Chair of the WA Indian Film Council; Graham Reid, CEO of Hockey WA; former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg; and Orsin Cummins and Lauren Butterly of the City of Perth.
The event was supported by national sponsors Bansal Lawyers and nib, and event partners Illuminance Solutions, Nimbus Chartered Accountants and EBOS Healthcare. Committee member Surya Ambati was master of ceremonies.
AIBC said the evening showed that while trade agreements, government initiatives and institutional partnerships provide important foundations, the strength of the Australia-India relationship rests with the people who bring those opportunities to life. The AIBC describes its Western Australia chapter as a platform for connecting businesses, fostering collaboration, supporting entrepreneurship and strengthening ties between the two countries.
Tegginamath closed her address with a message she attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: “The future depends on what you do today.”
