Austrade organises Festival of Australia a four-city showcase in Mumbai

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) organised a first-of-its-kind four-city showcase titled “Festival of Australia” in Mumbai that brought together Australia’s top-quality institutions, universities, retail and other trade partners on a single platform and showcased Australia’s premium F&B products to Indian consumers. After Mumbai, Austrade will hold the festival in Hyderabad (November 16), Bengaluru (November 18) and Kochi (November 20). 

The showcase in Mumbai provided an opportunity for Indian students and parents to engage directly with representatives from Australian universities and discuss course offerings that will help them achieve their career and learning goals. As a part of the showcase, the Indian students attended a masterclass on “Not-so-natural disasters and how to prevent them” presented by Prof David Sanderson, Inaugural Judith Neilson Chair of Architecture, University of New South Wales. 

The showcase also featured a panel discussion with senior representatives from Indian schools, Australian Universities and industry partners to understand what prospective students really want from a foreign university to make their decision better to study abroad. The Festival of Australia featured an Australian Food Pavilion showcasing Australia’s finest offerings ranging from honey, nutrition bars, sauces, cheese, pastas, seafood, lamb meat and other exceptional produce. 

Austrade has collaborated with Jio Mart to set up an ‘Australia Pavilion’ on their e-commerce platform and a Mumbai based retailer Food Square to showcase a range of Australian products at the Festival of Australia event. The Guests at the Festival of Australia got an opportunity to taste dishes prepared using premium Australian ingredients during the live cooking demonstrations. 

Speaking about the festival in Mumbai, John Southwell, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner – South Asia, Australian Trade and Investment Commission said, “We are excited to organise this festival to highlight the unique experiences that Australia has to offer in both education and cuisine. With this event, we hope to increase awareness and open new opportunities for Indian students, families, and food enthusiasts to discover Australia as a premier location for top-notch education and fine dining experiences. We are delighted to showcase the Australian premium F&B products to cater to the increasing demand from Indian consumers and we have started seeing Australian products featuring more and more in Indian cuisine, from dals to lamb biriyani.” 

Australia – India ties in education have strengthened over the past few years and both countries are nurturing stronger economic and cultural connections that promise sustained growth. This festival of Australia not only strengthens Australia’s presence in India but also celebrates a shared commitment to cross-cultural appreciation and advancement.