India-NSW ties: Nagesh Singh meets Premier Minns ahead of India visit
Synopsis
NSW Premier Chris Minns is making India his first overseas destination after taking office — a deliberate diplomatic signal. With $6.87 billion in bilateral goods trade, 28,000 Indian students, and 174,000 Indian tourists visiting NSW annually, this delegation visit to New Delhi and Mumbai is less a courtesy call and more a structured economic push across clean energy, critical minerals, and education.
Key Takeaways
India's High Commissioner Nagesh Singh met NSW Premier Chris Minns in Canberra on 24 August to discuss the India–NSW partnership.
Premier Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will lead an official delegation to India from 31 August to 3 September — Minns' first overseas visit as Premier.
In 2024–25 , NSW and India traded $6.87 billion worth of goods; India is one of NSW's largest trading partners.
Over 28,000 Indian students study in NSW; 174,000 Indian visitors spent around $600 million in NSW in the year to March 2026 .
Priority sectors include education, clean energy, critical minerals, agri-food, and technology; the visit will also build on NSW's sister-state ties with Maharashtra .
India's High Commissioner to Australia Nagesh Singh met with New South Wales (NSW) Premier Chris Minns in Canberra on Monday, 24 August, with discussions centred on deepening the India–NSW partnership across trade, investment, education, innovation, and people-to-people ties. The meeting comes days before Minns embarks on his first overseas trip as Premier — a four-day official visit to India from 31 August to 3 September.
What Was Discussed
According to a post on X by the High Commission of India in Australia, the talks focused on 'further strengthening the India–NSW partnership, including cooperation in trade, investment, education, innovation and people-to-people ties.' The bilateral meeting set the agenda for the upcoming delegation visit, which will include stops in New Delhi and Mumbai.
Who Is Travelling and Why
Premier Chris Minns and NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will jointly lead the official delegation to India. Minns announced the visit at a Sydney event marking India's 80th Independence Day, describing it as a deliberate signal of the relationship's importance. The delegation will pursue high-level business and government engagements aimed at attracting investment, expanding trade, and creating new opportunities for NSW.
The Scale of the India-NSW Relationship
The economic stakes are substantial. In 2024–25, NSW and India exchanged $6.87 billion worth of goods, making India one of NSW's most significant trading partners. Tourism figures reinforce the depth of the relationship: in the year to March 2026, 174,000 Indian visitors travelled to NSW, spending approximately $600 million and logging 8.5 million visitor nights. Education ties are equally strong, with over 28,000 Indian students currently enrolled in NSW institutions.
Sectors in Focus
The delegation's agenda will prioritise sectors where NSW holds a competitive edge — including education, research and innovation, agri-food, clean energy, critical minerals, technology, tourism, and advanced industries. The visit will also build on NSW's existing sister-state relationship with Maharashtra, deepening institutional linkages at the state level.
What the Leaders Said
Premier Minns described NSW as 'one of the most successful multicultural societies in the world' and credited the Indian community as central to that success. 'India is one of the world's fastest-growing major economies and an increasingly important partner for NSW. We want more trade, more investment, more tourists and more opportunities for NSW businesses,' he said.
Treasurer Mookhey added that beyond the bilateral trade relationship 'valued in the billions of dollars, education provides a lasting and rewarding bond,' and said building economic and innovation ties would 'support more NSW exporters, attract investment and create long-term opportunities for Australian businesses and families.'
With the delegation set to land in India on 31 August, the visit is expected to yield concrete agreements across several priority sectors, with outcomes likely to shape the India–NSW economic corridor for years ahead.
Point of View
Sectors where both sides have aligned interests but few concluded agreements. The $6.87 billion goods trade figure is impressive, but it is dominated by a narrow commodity basket; diversification into services, technology, and advanced manufacturing is the harder, more consequential task. Community optics around the Indian diaspora in NSW are easy wins; structural economic architecture is not.
NationPress
24 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is NSW Premier Chris Minns visiting India?
Minns is leading an official delegation to India from 31 August to 3 September to strengthen NSW's trade, investment, education, and cultural ties with India. It is his first overseas visit since assuming office as NSW Premier, signalling the importance Canberra and Sydney attach to the bilateral relationship.
What did India's High Commissioner Nagesh Singh and Premier Minns discuss?
The two met in Canberra on 24 August and discussed further strengthening the India–NSW partnership across trade, investment, education, innovation, and people-to-people ties, according to the High Commission of India in Australia.
How large is the India–NSW trade and education relationship?
In 2024–25, NSW and India traded $6.87 billion worth of goods. Over 28,000 Indian students are enrolled in NSW institutions, and 174,000 Indian visitors spent approximately $600 million in NSW in the year to March 2026.
Which cities will the NSW delegation visit in India?
The delegation will visit New Delhi and Mumbai during the four-day trip from 31 August to 3 September, focusing on high-level business and government engagements.
What sectors will the NSW delegation prioritise during the India visit?
The delegation will focus on education, research and innovation, agri-food, clean energy, critical minerals, technology, tourism, and advanced industries — sectors where NSW holds a competitive advantage. The visit will also reinforce NSW's sister-state relationship with Maharashtra.
