STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Gauhati University organised a talk on "Quad in the Indo-Pacific: Opportunities and Challenges for Australia and India", bringing together academic and diplomatic representatives to discuss growing India-Australia cooperation.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta delivered the inaugural address, while Australian Consul General in Kolkata Bernard Lynch presented the keynote address. Discussions focused on trade, defence, education, maritime security and the role of the Quad comprising India, Australia, the United States and Japan.
Lynch highlighted the growth of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and noted that bilateral trade had expanded significantly following the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement signed in 2022. He said the Quad was a platform aimed at promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Prof. Mahanta stressed the need to expand Australia-India educational ties to Northeast India, while Lynch expressed interest in developing academic partnerships with Gauhati University.
Lynch also underlined the Northeast's potential as a connectivity hub linking India with Southeast Asia and highlighted Australian initiatives in the region in areas such as education, water management and community resilience.
The event was attended by university officials, deans, faculty members and research scholars.
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