The Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley will be leaving on a 4-day official visit to Australia on 28th March, 2016. One of the main objectives of the Finance Minister’s visit to Australia is to attract foreign investment in India especially in Infrastructure sector among others. In the first leg of his official visit, the Finance Minister will arrive in Sydney on 29th March, 2016. During his stay at Sydney, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley will address and have an interactive session at Sydney Campus of S.P. Jain School of Global Management. He will also have a meeting with The Hon. Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs. In the afternoon, the Finance Minister will inaugurate the Sydney branch of the Union Bank of India.

Next Day, i.e. 30th March, 2016, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley will deliver the Key Note Address at ‘Make in India’ Conference in Sydney. He will also have a meeting with prominent CEOs of Australia. Thereafter, he will have a bilateral meeting with The Hon. Scott Morrison, MP, Treasurer. In the afternoon, the Finance Minister will have an interaction with Indian community.

As a part of the second leg of his Australia visit, on 31st March, 2016, the Finance Ministry Shri Jaitley will depart for the Australian capital, Canberra. During his stay in Canberra, the Finance Minister will have bilateral meetings with Senator The Hon. Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance and Mr. Peter Vergese, Foreign Secretary. In the afternoon, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley will have a meeting with the Vice Chancellor of Australian National University (ANU) followed by an interaction with ANU Economists. Thereafter, the Finance Minister will be participating in K.R. Narayanan Oration at the University. In the evening, the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley will address the Indian community at a reception hosted by the High Commissioner of India in Australia in which leading members of Indian community from all major cities of Australia are likely to participate.

On the last leg of his Australia visit, the Finance Minister Shri Jaitley will arrive in Melbourne on 1st April, 2016. During his stay in Melbourne, the Finance Minister will have a meeting with Mr. Peter Coastello, Chairman, Future Fund. Thereafter, the Finance Minister will also participate in Invest in India Round Table Conference. He will also attend a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FICCI and Australia-India Business Council. Thereafter, the Finance Minister will have one to one meeting with CEOs of various companies. In the evening, the Finance Minister will visit the University of Melbourne. He will also meet the Hon. Daniel Andrews, Premier of VIC.

The Finance Minister will depart for back home on 2nd April, 2016 and will arrive in the national capital on 3rd April, 2016 after completing his 4-day official visit to Australia.

Attracting foreign investment: India seeks Australian investor engagement via CEO forums, Make in India events and bilateral meetings. The Finance Minister's four-day visit to Australia aims to attract foreign investment into India-particularly in infrastructure-through ministerial bilaterals, investor-focused events and community outreach in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Principal engagements include an India Australia CEOs Forum, a keynote at a 'Make in India' conference, meetings with Australian finance and foreign affairs officials, an Invest in India roundtable, and a Memorandum of Understanding signing between business councils to formalise cooperation and promote investor relationships.