Article Posted on : - Feb 23, 2012

BANGALORE (PTI): India and Australian state of Victoria have signed a long-standing agreement to work together co-operatively to grow their aviation and aerospace industries, Victorian Minister Responsible for the Aviation Industry, Gordon Rich-Phillips, has announced.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Aviation Aerospace Australia (AAA) and the Society of Indian Aerospace and Technologies Industries (SIATI) was signed Wednesday at a function here attended by industry representatives from India and the Austrlian state Victoria.

Rich-Phillips said the signing of the MOU between AAA and SIATI signalled a new level of co-operation and exchange between Victoria and India in aviation and aerospace. "This agreement will make it easier for our respective organisations to share knowledge, develop expertise and transfer skills," he said.

"The Victorian Government considers the aviation and aerospace sector to be a vital enabling industry in the state economy, and this partnership will help local firms looking to tap into new opportunities in India.

"This MOU will strengthen engagement between India and Victoria, including developing a roadmap for skills development in India to meet its aviation and aerospace sector needs" he said.

Rich-Phillips added that around 20 of Victoria's leading aviation and aerospace companies were currently visiting India as part of the Victorian Government's "Super Trade Mission", the largest ever to leave Australia.

More than 200 Victorian companies are taking part in the mission, which is visiting New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune from February 21 to 26, he said. The Mission would showcase Victoria's strengths in various sectors including automotive, aviation and aerospace, cleantech, education, sustainable urban design and tourism.