PM woos Aus investors; says India's policies transparent

Brisbane: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today wooed Australian investors to India, saying the environment that is prevailing in the country is "welcoming" and easy to do business, besides having transparent and predictable policies.

"You will begin to find a difference in India," Modi said, asserting that his government is focused on eliminating unnecessary laws and regulations, and making processes easier.

The prime minister was speaking at a breakfast meeting hosted by Queensland Prime Minister Campbell Newman where several Australian business leaders were present.

Modi also said that Queensland can be an important partner in India's development ? in energy, mineral resources, agriculture and food security, education and advanced technology in some areas.

"We have made our policies transparent and predictable.

We have made our procedures clearly defined and smooth," Modi said during a breakfast meeting with Australian business leaders this morning before leaving for Sydney.

He said good governance is the starting point of change and it is important to business as it is to ordinary citizens.

"You will not only be able to convert opportunities into partnerships, you will do it in an environment that is welcoming and easy to do business in," he said.

Modi also said that his government has launched 'Make in India' as a new mission to promote manufacturing in India.

He also told them about his plans to build 100 Smart cities, 50 metro projects and about the modern waste management system for another 500 cities in India.

He mentioned about the projects like The affordable healthcare within everyone's reach, sanitation for all by 2019, a roof over every head by 2022 and electricity in every household.

Modi also praised Queensland for sending a number of trade missions to India.

"Just this September, there was a Queensland-Gujarat Energy Roundtable in Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat. And, I am naturally pleased that Queensland will be participating in Vibrant Gujarat in January 2015 to showcase your infrastructure capabilities", he said.

"I know that you are not partial to Gujarat, but you are sending delegations to Kolkata, Delhi and elsewhere," he said.

"Clean Energy with special focus on solar energy for energy efficiency, he added.

He also lauded the Australian province for allowing a 16 billion dollar investment in coal mining in the state.