India’s 80th Independence Day was celebrated in grand style in Sydney, with senior New South Wales leaders joining the Consulate General of India’s celebrations at the International Convention Centre to honour India’s journey and the growing strength of the India–Australia relationship.
Consul General Dr S. Janakiraman highlighted India’s ambition to become a developed nation by 2047, describing Viksit Bharat as both a vision and a national aspiration. He said the India–Australia relationship had entered a new phase, with bilateral trade doubling to around A$51 billion and significant opportunities ahead in trade, investment, technology and manufacturing.
Dr Janakiraman also pointed to the growing political and strategic engagement between the two countries, noting frequent meetings between their leaders and expanding cooperation across defence, commerce, education, skills, cybersecurity and other sectors. He said the complementary visions of Viksit Bharat and Australia’s Future Made in Australia could create new avenues for collaboration — from “design in Australia, make in India” to “design in India, make in Australia”.
NSW Governor Margaret Beazley paid tribute to the Indian community’s contribution across the state, from hospitals, schools and businesses to advanced manufacturing and regional communities. She highlighted the milestone of India-born people becoming Australia’s largest overseas-born group and noted that one in five new business registrations in NSW in 2025 were by people born in India. In parts of western and north-western Sydney, she said, Indian-born founders accounted for 56 per cent of new businesses.
Premier Chris Minns described India as one of Australia’s “dearest friends” and said Australia had supported India’s independence from the outset. He praised India’s emergence as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a major global player in peace, security and diplomacy. Minns also announced that he would travel to India in two weeks with a NSW delegation focused on expanding business, education, technology and aviation links between the two countries.
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane similarly celebrated the Indian-Australian community as one of Australia’s great multicultural success stories. She pointed to the community’s achievements in business, education, law, politics and civic life, and said she wanted NSW to be “first in line” to attract investment from India. Sloane also announced plans for a future India trade delegation with Nationals Leader Gurmesh Singh if elected.
Across the speeches, the Indian diaspora emerged as the living bridge between the two nations. From entrepreneurs and engineers to doctors, academics, students and community leaders, speakers repeatedly emphasised the community’s contribution to NSW and its role in deepening bilateral ties.
The shared love of cricket — reinforced by the presence of the Australian Masters squad Captain Shane Watson— provided a lighter but powerful reminder of the cultural connections between the two countries.
The celebrations reflected a relationship increasingly driven not only by government-to-government ties but by business, education, culture, sport and a highly successful Indian Australian community. As India looks towards its centenary of independence in 2047, the message from Sydney was clear: Australia intends to be a close partner on that journey.
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