Time to Get Serious About India, Dr Pradeep Taneja, Thursday 7 July, 2011

Australia-India relations have been through some rough times in the past few years.  Despite the two nations possessing a lot in common, the relationship has lacked the substance that Australia’s other dealings in Asia seem to enjoy. While symbols and gestures play an important part in international relations, bilateral relationships can be hard to sustain without the presence of shared interests.  Many observers argue that it is time Australia engaged India more comprehensively and made itself relevant to the Asian giant’s quest for development, influence and recognition. Dr Pradeep Taneja lectures in Asian politics in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne, where he is also a Fellow of the Australia India Institute and convener of a taskforce on Sino-Indian relations.   Educated in India, China and Australia, Dr Taneja has been an astute observer of political and economic developments in Asia for the past 25 years. He has also held research and teaching positions at La Trobe University, Griffith University and Swinburne University of Technology.  His current research interests include the rise of China and India as regional and global powers and Sino-Indian relations.