NEW DELHI/MELBOURNE (TIP): The seventh regional Pravasi Bhartiya Divas will be held in Sydney from November 10 to 12 with an aim to woo overseas investors and deepen two-way engagement with the Indians living there. A simultaneous announcement in this regard was made by Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi here and Barry O’Farrel, Premier of New South Wales through video conferencing from Australia.

“We organise regional PBDs in different parts of the world, especially where Indians are living. Australia and Pacific region is one such area where large Indian contingent reside,” said Ravi. Speaking from Australia, O’Farrel thanked the Indian government for choosing Sydney for the event.

“I am delighted to be jointly announcing with minister Ravi that the strong bond between NSW, India and overseas Indians will be further strengthened during the 2013 Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Sydney…I am confident that the event will be a major success,” O’Farrell said. “The aim of the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas – or Overseas Indian Conference – is to connect India with its vast Indian diaspora and bringing their knowledge, expertise and skills together. NSW is honoured to be a part of this fantastic event,” he added.

He also hailed Sydney as the perfect location for the conference, adding that the event will generate an estimated USD 2.8 million of economic activity for NSW. Officials in Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs said the main aim of the event is to showcase India as an attractive investment destination and to deepen the engagement with the Indian community living in Australia. Australian High Commissioner Patrick Suckling, who was present during the announcement, highlighted the growing relationship between the two countries.

“We have a very strong economic relationship with India. We have a nice, balanced and strategic relationship. We have 4,50,000 Indian citizen living in Australia and Indian people are the fastest growing migrant group in Australia. “Currently Punjabi is the fastest growing language in Australia, Hinduism is the fastest growing religion in Australia and the Prime Minister is determined that India becomes one of our top five partners,” he said. The 2013 Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, the seventh such conference to be held outside India, is expected to attract about 1,000 delegates from the Asia-Pacific.