Queensland's bold step towards a stronger India partnership

From the editor’s desk

Leaders in Queensland frequently bring up employment, growth, and prospects for the next generation when discussing the state’s future. The Crisafulli Government has taken a significant step towards forming that future by announcing the Queensland-India Trade and Investment Strategy 2025–2028, which connects the remarkable rise of India with the prosperity of Queensland.

This is a declaration of intent, not just another government blueprint. India is currently Queensland’s second-largest export market and fourthlargest trading partner. Few partnerships offer as much dynamism and reciprocal advantages as the one between Queensland and India in a world of shifting economic tides and geopolitical unpredictability.

Energy and resource security, food and agriculture, life sciences and health innovation, sports ecosystem and infrastructure, and research and education are the five priority areas that form the core of the strategy. These are urgent needs rather than theoretical classifications, where India’s requirements and Queensland’s strengths coincide. The roadmap promises India access to world-class expertise and reliable supply chains. It offers Queensland new markets, investment, and—above all— good, well-paying jobs for its citizens.

It is appropriate to prioritise resource and energy security. As India looks to power its transition to clean technologies while maintaining growth for more than a billion people, its appetite for dependable, sustainable energy is expanding. With its abundant resources and growing significance in vital minerals, Queensland may be the reliable ally India requires. This is about more than just trade; it’s about mutual security and long-term stability in an area that supports both societies’ prosperity.

Another pillar of the strategy is agriculture and food. In India, Queensland’s superior produce— from horticulture to grains to beef—has a well-established reputation. In addition to bolstering India’s food security, the new approach aims to create robust supply chains that expand prospects for Queensland farmers, exporters, and local communities. This relationship, which aims to improve the livelihoods of Queensland families while providing wholesome food for Indian tables, is profoundly human in many respects.

The implications of this for regular Queenslanders have been made explicit by the Crisafulli Government. The strategy, according to Minister of Finance, Trade, Employment, and Training Ros Bates, is a roadmap for partnership that is focused on the future. She made a direct connection between trade policy and household prosperity, stating that “more and better paying jobs mean a stronger trading relationship with India.” She also emphasised that Queensland is open to business and committed to taking advantage of India’s opportunities in both established fields like education, agriculture, and resources as well as in newer ones like advanced manufacturing, sports technology, and health innovation.

It is impossible to overestimate the human component of this approach. Improving exports and luring investment are not the only goals. Building reciprocity and trust is the goal.

It’s about realising that India’s momentum presents Queensland with an opportunity to develop collaboratively rather than alone. Additionally, it’s about making sure that every community in the state—from small farming towns to centres of urban innovation— benefits from this expansion.

The seriousness of this commitment is demonstrated by premier David Crisafulli’s decision to lead his second trade mission to India in six months later this month. The task of realising this vision will fall to Trade and Investment Queensland, which will collaborate closely with partners, investors, and exporters in India.

This degree of involvement makes it abundantly evident that Queensland views India as a priority for its future prosperity rather than as an afterthought.

The timing is important. The Crisafulli Government is eager to prove that it can provide better results for Queenslanders after years of Labour rule. The government is not only betting on growth, but also on resilience by linking economic growth so closely to India, a country that is poised to rank among the largest economies in the world.

This kind of partnership is based on more than just economic reasoning. They are based on respect for one another, a common goal, and the understanding that inclusive prosperity is the most sustainable. According to the QueenslandIndia strategy, the connections between Cairns and Bangalore, Townsville and Mumbai, and Brisbane and New Delhi are more than just commercial ones. They serve as links between futures, cultures, and individuals.