Former ministerial adviser Nitin Gupta says Victoria’s approach to India trade missions needs sharper timing, pointing to business and cultural realities that make September an unproductive choice for engagement.
Speaking to The Indian Sun, Nitin said his preference for a January to March window is grounded in experience. “Based on my experience, understanding and observations—the Jan–Mar window is more productive time to take large Victorian trade missions to India,” he said. “Second or third week of February, or later is the most productive time. The Indian Union Budget is usually out by then giving a clear picture for the year ahead.”
By that point, he explained, Indian companies know where they stand financially. “The Deepotsav or Diwali sales and profits have been booked by corporates by then. Most of the revenue for the great Indian wedding season has been locked in,” he said. With India’s financial year beginning on April 1, “by the late Jan to early Mar window the companies have a very good idea of how much capital they have available to commit for investing overseas in new projects, or importing new products.”
September, by contrast, presents a cluster of obstacles. “September schedule is not a very productive time to take trade missions to India,” Nitin said. “After the monsoon rains during Jun–Aug, the roads are undergoing repairs and diversions during the month of September, which add to the traffic time woes.”
Festivals further complicate matters. “September can be the time when Ganesh Festival is taking place in cities like Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru,” he said, while Durga Puja often coincides in Kolkata. Corporates, he added, are then focused on building inventory for Diwali and wedding season sales. “They have very less in spare cash to commit for new projects, or products.”
Cultural considerations also come into play. “September can also be the month when ‘Shradh’ or ‘Pitra Paksh’ falls, which is considered by most people in Hindu and few other communities as the most inauspicious time to start any new project or investment venture,” he said. Diets during these periods can make showcasing Victorian produce awkward. “Whether it’s Ganesh festival, Durga Puja or Shradh, these are the times when a big majority of people in India follow simple vegetarian diets. That is not the ideal time to promote Victorian culinary delights, or a produce like Victorian lamb.”
Taken together, he said, logistics, culture and business cycles point to the same conclusion. “In terms of logistics, traffic, culture, religion and business, September schedule for leading large Victorian trade delegations to India can be unproductive, and needs to be shifted to Jan–Mar window to get better returns and dividends for dealing with the Indian economy.”
Nitin also revisited how Victoria’s Bollywood policy came into being, tracing it back to a conversation in 2006 with then Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu. “Around Sep 2006, when I had just started helping out then Victorian Opposition leader Mr Ted Baillieu, I was asked to see him in his office regarding media strategy for Australian Indian media,” he said.
At the time, Indian-language newspapers dominated community shelves. “When Ted went through those newspaper editions, he pointed that they were mostly filled with content about various Indian film industries,” Nitin recalled. His solution was immediate. “I suggested that we draft a policy for ‘Increasing Victoria’s ties with the Indian film industries’. Ted asked if I could create a policy framework in next fifteen minutes. I said yes.”
The idea stuck. “In next fifteen minutes I had drafted a rough template of the policy,” he said. “When Ted saw it he was amazed, and approved it instantly.” The policy was released publicly in October 2006 and included a proposal that would later become the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. “From Nov 2006 onwards, we started getting good space in the Australian Indian media for sure after the release of this policy,” Nitin said, noting Bollywood’s share of India’s film economy.
The policy evolved after discussions with pan-Indian star Ram Charan during a Docklands shoot in 2010. “Ram personally stressed and requested Mr Ted Baillieu to cover the whole Indian film industry in the policy,” Nitin said. Further edits later addressed student safety concerns during the period of attacks on Indian students in Victoria.
After the 2010 election victory, the policy moved from paper to practice. Tenders for delivering IFFM were called in 2011 and awarded in early 2012. The festival’s Melbourne launch followed soon after, backed by high-profile figures including Shane Warne and actor Priyanka Chopra.
Maria Irene is India Correspondent for The Indian Sun, reporting on technology, finance, culture, and diaspora stories across India and Australia, with a special focus on initiatives led by the Australian High Commission and its Consulates across India
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