Govt's business office in Bombay to open next week

19/1/96

Western Australia will be the only Australian State with a permanent presence in India when the Government's business office opens in Bombay (Mumbai) next week.

"This is a major expansion of Western Australia's overseas marketing programs," Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan said today.

"It cements the role of our State as Australia's leader in export and trade development and recognises the growing international importance of the Indian Ocean nations."

The Bombay office will be opened on January 23. It will be the fourth of WA's newly upgraded trade and investment offices and will complement the work of offices in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Surabaya.

The State also has long-standing representation in London, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore and Kobe. The offices work to channel trade and investment information, both to potential WA exporters and to local businesses.

The opening of the new office follows the launch of the State's Indian Ocean Trade Strategy last year. WA, the nation's biggest exporter, is the only State on the Indian Ocean.

"The State Government is developing links with the emergent economies of India, South Africa and the Middle East to complement our ties with the economies of South-East and North Asia," Mr Cowan said.

The Minister has visited the sub-continent twice in the past three years and will renew his links by officially opening the trade office.

He will be joined by a delegation of senior WA business people. As well, a group organised by the newly formed Indian Chamber of Commerce will accompany Mr Cowan.

The Bombay office will be headed by Mr Monish Paul, a senior trade officer with the Department of Commerce and Trade.

Mr Paul is originally from Bombay. He migrated with his family to WA in 1982. He believes there is enormous potential for WA expertise to be useful in areas such as food processing, shipbuilding and environmental management.

"The Bombay office will also offer advice on dealing with the Indian Government bureaucracies, which can certainly pose a challenge to many visiting business people," Mr Paul said.

Media contact: Peter Jackson 222 9595