Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], July 19 (ANI): Australia's High Commissioner to India, Philip Green OAM, on Saturday highlighted the growing importance of sports in education and the economy, stating that Australia is keen to collaborate with India to build a stronger sports ecosystem that creates business and employment opportunities for young people.

Speaking at the session titled 'Diplomacy beyond Delhi: Fostering Sports and Culture Ties' at the 9th Talk Journalism in Jaipur, Green said, 'In Australian schools, sports are an essential part of the curriculum... However, many Australian universities also focus on disciplines such as sports science, sports medicine, athlete training, physiotherapy, sports business, marketing, security, and sports as a business, not just a leisure activity.'

'For young people, this field has a promising future... We are ensuring students at our universities are ready for a world where sports play a bigger role in the regional and global economy, with more jobs and opportunities. We've invested heavily in this field,' he added.

Green further said that Australia's success in international sporting events is linked to the country's sustained investment in sports education and infrastructure.

'Part of Australia's success, as reflected in our medal tables, is due to supporting a robust sports ecosystem. We'd be happy to involve India in this, as it creates business and job opportunities for young people in sports,' he said.

The event focused on enhancing diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties through shared interests in sports and education.

As part of these broader efforts to deepen people-to-people ties, Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong has announced 34 recipients of this year's Maitri Grants, Fellowships and Scholarships, further underscoring Australia's commitment to strengthening educational and professional exchanges between the two nations.

The Maitri (meaning friendship) Grants, administered by the Centre for Australia-India Relations, aim to support greater exchange and collaboration with India across technology, business, education and culture, according to the statement.

The statement said, 'Each project will cultivate deeper connections between our two countries, including: The Lowy Institute's first-ever India Chair, which will lift the quality of research and conversations around India's role as a major power in the Indo-Pacific region. Best-practice playbooks by Asialink Business to support collaboration, capability training and the sharing of successful partnership models in cleantech and agtech.'

'A world-class exhibition featuring rare artworks by renowned Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma at Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art. An incubator of untold narratives from Australia's South Asian diasporas that will showcase Australian-Indian experience to global screen audiences, led by Bodhi Studios,' it added.

The 2024-2025 Maitri Grants include 13 Maitri scholarships supporting innovative research across fields like quantum computing technologies and clean energy solutions, and three Maitri fellowships dedicated to exploring opportunities between Australia.

The statement said, 'Australia and India's relationship is closer and more important than ever. We are deepening cooperation across priority sectors that are vital to both nations' futures, including in defence, trade, education, and technology.'

The recipients of the 2025 Maitri Grants will support connections and research across a wide range of sectors, including innovation, enterprise, education and culture.

Administered by the Centre for Australia-India Relations, the Maitri grants encourage innovative projects and partnerships that reflect the dynamism of the bilateral relationship, fostering long-term connections, according to the Australian High Commission in India press release.

Welcoming the announcement, Australia's High Commissioner to India, Philip Green OAM, said, 'Australia's relationship with India is stronger, deeper and more consequential than ever - and its future holds even greater promise. At the heart of this relationship are the people-to-people connections that bind our two nations. The Maitri Grants program builds on these ties, helping unlock the full potential of our bilateral relationship.'

'I congratulate this year's recipients and look forward to seeing how their work helps foster deeper links between Australia and India,' he added. (ANI)