Council doubles down on India mission as job figures climb

The City of Melbourne has formally noted the outcomes of its November 2025 business mission to India, with councillors using the February 17 Future Melbourne Committee meeting to defend the trip’s economic credentials – and, in one case, the value of so-called “junkets”.

Originally projected to deliver 520 new jobs and $95 million in economic uplift, the mission’s impact was revised upward during the meeting. Lord Mayor Nick Reece told councillors the trip had secured “more than 1000 new tech jobs for Melbourne” and “close to $100 million in economic uplift with a strong pipeline of future investment behind it.”

India is the fastest-growing major economy in the world, Cr Reece said, describing the mission as an “extraordinary, busy and productive trip” and the first business mission to India “of the modern era” for the City of Melbourne.

It’s fair to say we chased down every opportunity that we could identify in India,he said, adding he would be “hard-pressed to think of another business mission that has ever delivered the results that this one did.

The week-long delegation to Bengaluru, Delhi and Goa – led by Cr Reece, Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell and Cr Andrew Rowse – focused on technology and innovation, higher education, sport, tourism and the creative economy.

Central to the reported job figures were engagements with major Indian tech firms with existing Melbourne operations. Deputy Lord Mayor Campbell highlighted Tech Mahindra as a key example, noting the company already employs around 900 staff in Melbourne and had announced a further 500 roles following the mission.

“That is a huge increase,” she said, linking the expansion to the council’s broader goal of revitalising Melbourne’s CBD and office sector.

Cr Rowse added that the benefit of landing large tech employers extended beyond raw job numbers. In global knowledge economies such as San Francisco and Boston, he said, experienced workers from major firms often spin off into start-ups, creating “momentum breeding momentum”.

“That momentum is a really, really important part in maintaining our knowledge economy here in Melbourne,” he said.

The delegation also strengthened civic ties, signing letters of intent with Delhi and Bengaluru to explore potential “Friendship City” agreements, while in Goa the Lord Mayor witnessed agreements aimed at expanding collaboration between Australian and Indian film and education institutions.

Cr Campbell described the trip as critical to ensuring Melbourne remained “on the world stage attracting the headquarters and the jobs that means Melbourne prospers now and into the future.”

However, as with most international travel by councillors, the mission attracted scrutiny – and a familiar public refrain about overseas “junkets”.

Cr Rafael Camillo used the debate to push back against that characterisation.

“I have a complete interpretation of that,” he said, arguing that travel was an “investment” rather than a perk. “I think travelling and going overseas … opening your mind and thinking different ways and models to operate is a very important element.”

Cr Camillo added that councillors were elected to make complex decisions and that exposure to international markets and cultures could only strengthen that work.

In his right of reply, Cr Reece acknowledged the need for public scrutiny of councillor travel, saying it was “incumbent on the council and councillors to demonstrate clear benefits from that activity.”

He reiterated that he had made a clear election commitment to aggressively pursue economic opportunities for Melbourne through engagement with fast-growing cities in the region.

“These are some of the fastest growing cities in the world and they are in our neighbourhood,” he said. “We need to absolutely get out there and proactively seize the opportunities.”

The motion to note the post-travel report was carried, with councillors signalling continued support for international engagement as a tool to drive jobs, investment and cultural exchange back home. •