Chennai: The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) launched the second phase of the "Festival of Australia" in Chennai, highlighting the country's world-class education and premium food and beverage products.

The multi-city event, which commenced on March 14 in Chennai, will also be held in Pune (March 16), Ahmedabad (March 20), and New Delhi (March 22). The festival brought together leading Australian universities and retail partners, offering Indian students and parents an opportunity to interact with representatives from top institutions.

As part of the event, masterclasses were conducted, including a session on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Construction by Prof. Kenneth Tak Wing You of UNSW Sydney, an insight masterclass on choosing the right university by Bhawna Kumar from the Australian School of Global Studies, and a pep talk by Monash University alumna Prabha Dixit.

The festival also featured a premium food pavilion showcasing Australian honey, nutrition bars, sauces, cheese, pasta, seafood, and lamb. Austrade partnered with Jio Mart for an 'Australia Pavilion' on its e-commerce platform and collaborated with Chennai-based retailer Amma Naana to promote Australian products. Live cooking demonstrations allowed guests to sample gourmet dishes prepared with Australian ingredients.

Austrade's Trade and Investment Commissioner for South Asia, Vik Singh, said the festival aimed to enhance awareness and foster stronger educational and culinary ties between India and Australia.

Australia and India continue to strengthen economic and cultural connections, with the festival further reinforcing bilateral ties.