Chennai: Australian Consul General for South India, Sean Kelly, today called on Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosiah at the Raj Bhavan here and expressed intentions of further strengthening bilateral relations.
With a slew of educational institutions, Australia was providing quality higher education and was keen to have ties with India, especially Tamil Nadu, in this sector.
A Raj Bhavan statement quoting the meeting between the two said Kelly told Rosaiah that there were almost 100 active MoUs between Australian and Tamil Nadu Universities while 16 Research Projects in Tamil Nadu were being funded under the Australia-India strategic research fund.
"The Governor said Tamil Nadu is an educational hub. It is a destination for IT, Automobile and Pharmaceutical Industries. It is a front ranking state with industrial friendly policies," the release, said, adding, Rosiah also hailed the state for its rich heritage, culture and architecture.
It was a tourist destination and was keen to explore and promote new avenues in trade, commerce, industry and tourism, the Governor was quoted as saying. Australia was for further strengthening of ties with India, especially Tamil Nadu, the official told Rosiah.
Australia was was a `reliable supplier` of Tamil Nadu`s mineral and energy needs particularly copper while Australian LNG will be supplied to power and fertilizer industries from 2015 through a planned pipe line being built from Kochi LNG Terminal to Bengaluru by GAIL, it said quoting Kelly.
