Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel recently played host to a high-profile roundtable co-hosted by the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) NSW.
The event, attended by senior SBI executives from India—Niraj Kumar Panda and Jagat Kant Choudhary (CAMS, CFCS)—focused on the bank’s role in strengthening Australia-India trade relations.
AIBC Associate Chair and NSW President Irfan Malik (MAICD) welcomed the gathering of business leaders, AIBC members, and SBI representatives. Ganesh Radhakrishnan, CEO of SBI Australia, highlighted the bank’s expanding footprint in Australia and its strategies to attract Australian investment into India, particularly in regional areas.
Dr Janakiraman Sarvesvaran, Consul General of India in Sydney, outlined how SBI could support Australian businesses with banking, trade, and remittance services.
Tim Thomas, CEO of the Centre for Australia-India Relations, reinforced the growing momentum in bilateral trade and identified key opportunities in digital trade, the knowledge economy, agritech, startups, and investment.
Discussions also covered industry challenges and emerging sectors, with Narasimhan Viswanathan (AIBC Make with India Chapter Lead) addressing supply chain issues. Dianne Tipping, Chair of the Export Council of Australia, and Poornima Menon, AIBC NSW Vice President, explored opportunities in regional Australia and the startup ecosystem.
Critical minerals and trade compliance were key themes, with insights from Warren Wickman, COO of MMC Corporation, and Anand Singh (MBA, GAICD), AIBC Critical Infrastructure Chapter Lead. Sheba Nandkeolyar, past AIBC National Chair, emphasised the current “New India” opportunity for Australian businesses.
SBI’s General Manager for Compliance, Jagat Kant Choudhary, noted India’s booming banking sector, with over 530 million Indians now holding bank accounts. He highlighted SBI’s extensive range of products designed to facilitate international trade.
Wrapping up the event, Irfan Malik thanked the speakers and attendees, reaffirming AIBC’s commitment to strengthening business ties with SBI and fostering greater Australian participation in India’s economic growth.
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