Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 23, 2023, met business leaders of top Australian companies and urged greater collaboration with the Indian corporate community in fields including technology, skill development, and clean energy.
Modi, who is on a three-day visit to Australia, held a bilateral meeting with a number of business leaders, including AustralianSuper CEO Paul Schroder, Fortescue Future Industry Executive Chairman Andrew Forrest, and Hancock Prospecting Executive Chairman Gina Rinehart, among others.
Also read: Wants to take relations with Australia to 'next level': PM Modi
Here's what the leaders had to say about their meeting with the Indian prime minister:
Andrew Forrest, executive chairman, Fortescue Future Industries
We acknowledged together that the fossil fuel sector has only limited time to run and it must be replaced with a fuel that causes no harm but can do everything which coal, oil, and gas can do. That is something the prime minister is clearly a global champion on... I also thank the PM for his humanitarian efforts.
Paul Schroder, chief executive, AustralianSuper
The prime minister is of course a very impressive person who understands business which is very encouraging as well. The PM talked about his dreams for India and his ethic which was a very powerful message. Australian super does invest in India and in particular in the National Indian Infrastructure Fund. We have had a very good experience in investing in India.
Gina Rinehart, executive chairman, Hancock Prospecting
It (the meeting) was very interesting. It was actually exciting. The potential for our two countries is huge... Growth in the future is going to be huge…Australia really needs to work harder to develop its relations with India... Under PM Modi, India has taken several steps to attract foreign investments by cutting approvals and regulations.
'Toilet warrior' Mark Balla
PM Modi is the absolute number one change maker in the sanitation space globally. There's no one who comes close... In terms of his social impact in this very important field, no one in the world has come close. The Swachh Bharat programme is the biggest sanitation infrastructure programme in human history.
Sarah Todd, celebrity cook & restauranteur
The prime minister is such an incredible man. I can see that the really cares about the country and the vision. The PM is an incredible influencer and I think coming from humble beginnings and standing up as this leader in the country, he has done such incredible work and really taken people on a journey and made them feel heard.
