India, Australia eye dual degree programme for students

Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that education will act as a bridge between India and Australia, highlighting that both countries will soon be starting dual degree programmes for students. Goyal and Dan Tehan, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment of Australia said they are working on a dual degree programme under the trade agreement to enhance collaboration between universities of both countries.

Goyal, who was in the University of New South Wales (NSW) in Sydney, said, "I invite the University of New South Wales to expand its footprints in India and enable students on both sides to gain."

Goyal is in Australia for a three-day visit after inking India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA).

He added, "I believe that such partnerships are important for the world as we increase our strategic engagements between Australia and India. Education will act as a bridge between the two countries; it has always been an important element of our partnership."

Australian Minister Tehan said, "We are working on a dual degree where you do part of your degree in Australia and part of your degree in India; you can mix and match. It will be a wonderful opportunity," he added.

ECTA is the first trade agreement of India with a developed country after more than a decade and provides for an institutional mechanism to improve trade between the two countries.

Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India and India is Australia's 9th largest trading partner. The ECTA is expected to almost double the bilateral trade from USD 27.5 bn (2021) to about USD 45 to USD 50 Billion in the next 5 years.

(ANI)