New South Wales has renewed its sister-state partnership with Maharashtra, opening the way for further cooperation in technology, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, critical minerals, mining expertise, education and skills.
NSW Premier Chris Minns met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Wednesday, where the two leaders signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding covering the next phase of cooperation between the two states.
The agreement builds on more than a decade of collaboration between NSW and Maharashtra, including vocational education projects, water management initiatives, cultural exchanges and business engagement. It is intended to give governments, businesses, research organisations and education institutions a framework for developing new partnerships and commercial opportunities.
Mr Minns said the relationship had a strong foundation through the connections between people in NSW and Maharashtra, while pointing to opportunities in industries expected to support future employment.
“Now the job is to turn that relationship into real economic opportunities for both our states,” he said.
NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said Maharashtra’s position as one of India’s leading business and investment centres made it an important partner for NSW.
“Renewing this agreement will help strengthen commercial links and create opportunities across sectors including technology, critical minerals, clean energy, education and advanced industries,” he said.
The renewed partnership comes as the Premier and Treasurer continue an official NSW Government mission to India focused on trade, investment, tourism and education.
The Mumbai visit has included meetings with major Indian business groups Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Group, with discussions centred on further investment and partnerships in NSW. The delegation also held a tourism roundtable and reception involving aviation, travel and other industry representatives, with a focus on attracting more Indian visitors and strengthening links across tourism, international education, culture and business.
The visit has also included a focus on Mumbai’s distinctive food culture and community networks.
Mr Mookhey and Mrs Minns met members of the city’s Dabbawala network, whose lunchbox delivery service connects home kitchens with workplaces across Mumbai. The Treasurer and Mrs Minns later joined chef and The Locavore founder Thomas Zacharias to explore Mumbai’s food culture and local food traditions.
Photos from the visit show Mr Mookhey and Mr Zacharias at Olympia Coffee House, discussing Mumbai’s food history before the delegation continued on to local food markets.
The mission has also included a moment of remembrance for the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.
Mr Minns, Mrs Minns and Mr Mookhey laid wreaths at the permanent memorial inside the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where 31 people were killed during the attacks. The attacks across Mumbai between 26 and 29 November 2008 claimed 166 lives and injured more than 600 people. Two Australians from NSW, Doug Markell and Brett Taylor, were among those killed.
The delegation signed the memorial book in memory of those who died, their families and everyone affected by the attacks.
Mr Minns said beginning the Mumbai program at the memorial was an opportunity to remember those who lost their lives, including the two NSW men.
“It was important that we began our day by paying our respects,” he said.
Mr Mookhey said the memorial served as a reminder that the attacks had affected people in NSW as well as Mumbai.
“Two NSW families lost loved ones in these attacks,” he said, naming Mr Markell and Mr Taylor while paying tribute to all the families affected.
The renewed NSW-Maharashtra agreement comes against the backdrop of growing economic and people-to-people links between Australia and India. For NSW, the government is seeking to build those connections through investment, trade, education, tourism and collaboration in emerging industries.
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister said the renewed partnership would focus on turning the relationship into practical outcomes, including investment, stronger business and institutional links and new opportunities for people in both states.
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