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Trade Talks

Trade Talks

Dr. Daphne PIllai, President, IWFCI India and Director, Dr. Rema Ramchandran were invited by IWFCI International Chair, Ms. Diana Abruzzi to Melbourne, Australia for trade talks after the landmark signing of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between India and Australia on April 2, 2022.

The first round of presentations and discussions was held on 7th June 2022 at the RACV Club in Melbourne.
Dr Daphne Pillai, President of IWFCI-INDIA and Dr. Rema Ramchandran represented IWFCI India.

Australia was represented by the Hon’ble Bruce Billson, OMBUDSMAN for SMEs, Susan Coles, Deputy State Director Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Govt. of Australia, John Velos, Barrister & Solicitor, Rohini Kappadath, General Manager, Immigration Museum, Jacqueline Plunkett, Senior Associate of Holding Redlich.

Dr. Rema Ramchandran made a presentation on “Propelling New Possibilities” and explained the areas and sectors of business which could be an avenue for forging pathways for Trade between India and Australia.

The Education sector explained the opportunities for counselling as an opportunity for women who wish to counsel students opting for education in Australia. Delegations from the teaching fraternity could do visits to both countries to understand best practices. Possibilities of partnership between Indian and Australian Universities was also highlighted.

Given the high percentage of NRI community in Australia, the Real Estate sector was a platform where India could provide a one-stop solution for managing real estate wealth of NRIs which they own in India and also assist with buy/sale/rent/legal/govt. liaison/repatriation etc. Similarly Indians who may wish to purchase real estate in Australia could be assisted.

India being a front runner for Back office operations, we could provide the expertise in terms of setting up of office, technical knowledge, and managing such operations. India would be a preferred destination for this activity due to the lower staff costs, high technical knowledge and economical infrastructure.

Medical Tourism was highlighted as India is a sought-after destination for complicated surgeries at a reasonable cost. In this sector too, the medical fraternity could have delegations between the two countries.

India is a a country rich in heritage and culture and would like to showcase the many talents as well as culinary cuisines of India. This could be exchanged between the two countries by women who excel in this field.

The second round of discussions over lunch on 8th June 2022, was a meeting with women Entrepreneurs who showcased their unique products. We had Suzanne Carroll of ‘Cool Clutch’. Her unique bags are designed with a cool compartment to store medicines/lunch/wine/makeup etc. Catherine Cervasio presented her range of baby and mom natural skincare products like creams and lotions. Mitchelle spoke about her product – wine in a cup, which was a new concept.

Under the ECTA, India will explore the possibilities of importing or finding potential buyers for these products.

The meetings over the two days held great promise and successful business outcomes are expected.

Welcome to IWFCI Global

The International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry (IWFCI) is a non-profit, non-government organization that was formed in 1992 by the founder Ms Diana Abruzzi in Melbourne Australia. read more…

Dr. Daphne Pillai, President