Former ministerial adviser Nitin Gupta says global social media narratives and the rapid expansion of India’s economy are reshaping the political and economic terrain for Victoria, leaving the Liberal Party with work to do before the November 2026 state election.
Speaking to The Indian Sun, Nitin said a growing disconnect between political labels used online and their meaning in Australia has been affecting how Indian Australians interpret local politics. “If you follow social media feeds back from India, back there there is a term called ‘LeLi Gang’ which basically clubs Left and Liberals together,” he said. “The term ‘LeLi’ is a portmanteau of ‘Left’ and ‘Liberal’. So they are seen as one joint entity.”
He contrasted that with the Australian context. “While in Victoria and Australia, the Liberal party stands for Centre Right and conservative side of politics. They are totally opposite of the left side of politics,” he said.
Nitin said the last time the Liberals won a Victorian election, social media played only a minor role in community life. “The last Victorian state elections which the Liberals won was back in 2010, when social media usage was very new in Victorian Indian community,” he said. “The use of social media in Indian political campaign only got democratised and popular in Indian community only after 2014.”
He pointed to India’s 2014 federal election as a turning point. “PM Modi’s 2014 election campaign was the first time social media was used widely in national Indian politics, and it has only kept increasing after that,” he said.
That shift, he argued, has had spillover effects in Australia. “The Australian Indian community, specially those that came to Australia after 2014 can get confusing messages about what side of politics the Liberal party stands for in Australia,” he said, noting the prevalence of terms such as “Liberandu” and “LeLi Gang” in Indian social media discourse. “After Covid, everyone is spending more time on social media.”
“The mainstream online newspapers like Herald Sun, The Age, and others have become mostly available on paid subscriptions basis. How many Australian Indians would be paying those newspaper subscriptions? That leaves them turning to social media and multicultural media for news and messaging”
Nitin said the problem has been compounded by a decline in targeted engagement. “The issue is that no effort has been made by the Liberal party to get rid of this confusion,” he said. “Till 2010, the Liberal party engaged with Australian Indian media very extensively. After that the engagement has been thinning a lot.”
He added that changes in news consumption have intensified the challenge. “The mainstream online newspapers like Herald Sun, The Age, and others have become mostly available on paid subscriptions basis. How many Australian Indians would be paying those newspaper subscriptions? That leaves them turning to social media and multicultural media for news and messaging,” he said.
Nitin credited Labor leaders for adapting faster. “Former Premier Dan Andrews had taken direct communication through social media to new heights in Victoria, while Premier Allan has taken engagement with multicultural media to completely different level,” he said. He acknowledged that Jess Wilson has improved the Liberals’ social media presence but said gaps remain. “Jess Wilson has made decent strides in the social media game, but she is yet to make any impact when it comes to engaging with multicultural media.”
He said the task ahead is clear. “The challenge for Jess, and Liberal party in general in the coming upcoming elections is to get the message out loud and clear in the Australian Indian community, that they stand for Centre Right and conservative or aspirational side of politics,” he said. “And for that to happen they need to extensively engage with the Australian Indian media, and community to get the message out what exactly the Liberal party stands for.”
Beyond messaging, Nitin said economic policy towards India has become increasingly urgent. He noted that the last detailed Liberal Trade Engagement Plan with India was released in February 2010 under Ted Baillieu, when India’s economy stood at about US$1.365 trillion.
“When Premier Daniel Andrews released his government’s version of Victoria’s India strategy in Jan 2018, the size of the Indian economy was roughly US$2.651 trillion,” he said. “Now in 2025, the size of Indian economy was roughly US$4.187 trillion.”
“The Australian Indian community, specially those that came to Australia after 2014 can get confusing messages about what side of politics the Liberal party stands for in Australia,” he said, noting the prevalence of terms such as “Liberandu” and “LeLi Gang” in Indian social media discourse. “After Covid, everyone is spending more time on social media”
By the time the next Victorian Premier leads a trade delegation to India after the 2026 election, Nitin said the figure could be higher still. “India would likely be an economy of more than roughly US$4.600 trillion, or perhaps may be even US$5.00 trillion depending on when the Victorian Premier leads Indian delegation next time,” he said.
He argued that this growth demands a rethink. “So we are talking massive difference since both main political parties had last released the highlights of their respective Victoria’s India strategy and TEPI,” he said. “These changed figures need to be considered, to come up with new targeted and growth areas in the next version of Victoria’s India strategy.”
Nitin said he hopes Wilson will target areas that have been overlooked. “Combined the entire Deepotsav or Diwali and great Indian wedding season spendathon is around US$250 billion dollars worth of economy, and growing,” he said. “I am not aware of any mention of these two spendathons in the TEPI or Victoria’s India strategy currently.”
He also called for the appointment of business ambassadors with strong community ties and for broader engagement with Indian expats globally, particularly in the United States. “This engagement program can help in attracting investment from the high-earning Indian-American diaspora into Victoria,” he said.
Nitin outlined other emerging opportunities, including temple town economies, waste recycling, river-cleaning projects and urban design. He said Victorian expertise could align with Indian schemes such as PRASAD, which focuses on heritage and pilgrimage infrastructure.
“Combined the entire Deepotsav or Diwali and great Indian wedding season spendathon is around US$250 billion dollars worth of economy, and growing. I am not aware of any mention of these two spendathons in the TEPI or Victoria’s India strategy currently”
He urged future trade delegations to look beyond major metros. “Efforts also needs to be put to travel to places like Lucknow where the future growth is likely to happen,” he said, along with cities such as Kannauj, Haridwar and Udaipur, each offering different openings for Victorian products and services.
Timing and representation, he added, will matter. “I hope Jess can reassure that if and when she leads a trade delegation to India, it would be at a better time slot like Jan, Feb or Mar window, rather than the September schedule which can be unproductive,” he said, adding that a full-time adviser of Indian origin should accompany the delegation.
Nitin said MICE tourism from India and from Indian expats in Singapore, the UAE and New Zealand could also be expanded, while education ties may need to adapt as student visa settings tighten. He suggested offering Victorian education and training through Indian campuses and online delivery.
He closed by placing the present moment in context. When the Liberals last released an India strategy in 2010, Victoria’s Indian community numbered about 100,000. By 2018 it had grown to around 180,000. “Now the size of Victorian Indian community is around 300K,” he said, noting India’s political and economic shifts since then.
With Jacinta Allan having released her government’s India strategy for 2025 to 2030, Nitin said attention is now squarely on the Opposition. “Now the eyes are firmly on Jess Wilson for her alternate version of this policy,” he said.
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