AIMS is an initiative mooted by Hindu Economic Forum of Australia (HEFA) in 2021. It is a solely HEFA run program to offer services, support, and business Intel to both Australian and Indian businesses to increase trade between the two countries through import and export of goods and services, collaborations, and joint ventures.
AIMS connects products and services offered by one country and needed in the other, thereby increasing the volume of trade between Australia and India.
We are a one stop shop offering following services needed for import and export
a) Information exchange
b) documentation and clearance
c) conduct market research
d) explore business tie ups
e) facilitate investments in both countries.
The 2 Directors of HEFA based in Adelaide organised an outdoor meeting in Jan 2022 for the HEFA members based in Adelaide, to gauge their interest in import and export opportunities between Australia and India. The response from the meeting was positive.
Following this, Department of Trade & Investment (DTI), SA Government was approached to do a presentation for the members in Feb 2022. The presentation went well and HEFA now has a relationship established with the State government body.
The 2 HEFA directors attended an event organised by Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) in Adelaide Zoo in Jun 2022. The event was an update on Indian Market. The purpose of attending this meeting was twofold. One to establish contact with a federal government body and two to run the idea of having an on-line trade meet. However, the government official was busy.
The Directors decided to run an on-line Australia-India trade meet on their own without any support from the government. They reached out to their sister HEF chapters in India. An on-line meeting was called to meet the Heads of HEF chapters in various Indian states. At first there was scepticism and excitement from different sections. But finally, both the directors managed to convince everyone to get on board.
The on-line trade meet with the theme “Collaboration for greater wealth” ran in Sep 2022. It attracted the attention of the government bodies and politicians who lent their voice to support the online trade meet by addressing more than 100 over Indian participants and the 50 + Australian participants. Following the general session, participants were split into the 4 industry specific breakout rooms. There they discussed with their counterparts on export/import opportunities. Following the successful meeting database of both Indian and Australian participants was shared. There was a lot of positive feedback and some good suggestions for future events.
Following the Sep 2022 On-line Trade meet, nothing much moved unfortunately. Reason being the Directors focused on other HEFA projects plus the expansion of HEF into NSW and increasing the membership numbers in SA. In early part of 2023, there was discussion among the directors to do something similar to the 1st AIMS meet between India and Australia. However, this time around, the focus would be educational, sharing of knowledge on new opportunities based around the FTA between Australia and India.
So, we approached top universities from Australia and India and requested them to present on the FTA signed by Australia and India. Australian University will present what it means for the Australian businesses. While the Indian University will present what it means for the Indian businesses. The expectation is for 3,000 participants across both the countries. The organising team is currently working with stakeholders to see how best to plan and execute this mega project and ensure it produces the results expected.
The theme for this session planned for in July 2023 is “Free Trade Agreement – A New Frontier”
Future is entirely depends on what pops up in the creative minds of Directors or the opportunities that throw themselves at them, Or maybe they are already been discussed and planned already and just waiting to jump at you like a delightful surprise.
The journey continues……
