Determined to expand India-Australia bilateral cooperation

New Delhi – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claimed that India and Australia were close friends. He added that they fight each other in cricket stadiums, but both countries were trying to develop a better world together. Addressing a joint press conference after bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi, the Prime Minister of Australia highlighted the importance of India.

On a four-day visit to India, Prime Minister Albanese held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday. Moreover, there was a discussion on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) between India and Australia. Besides, both countries have already concluded a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). But there have been claims that the trade between India and Australia will increase enormously due to Comprehensive Economic Cooperation. In addition, PM Albanese believes in reaching the agreement by the end of this year.

Also, Prime Minister Albanese elucidated in a joint press conference that Australia was keen to expand its defence partnership with India. Also, Australia is ready to increase cooperation with India in the solar energy and hydrogen sector. Besides, very advanced and complex technology has to be developed for both these areas, which necessitates the cooperation of India and Australia in this field. Prime Minister Albanese pointed out that Australia has the reserves of minerals required for this sector.

Furthermore, China’s activities in the Indo-Pacific region have reached alarming levels. Prime Minister Modi has indicated that India and Australia were cooperating against it. Prime Minister Modi further said that maritime security and security cooperation were the focus of his discussion with Prime Minister Albanese. Along with this, Prime Minister Modi reminded that India had signed important agreements with Australia in defence. Prime Minister Modi said this includes the Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) and cooperation in exchanging security information. Besides, the Prime Minister of India claimed that the scope of this cooperation would increase in the future.

Meanwhile, highlighting the importance of India’s cooperation with Australia, Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of attacks on Indian places of worship by some groups in Australia. Additionally, PM Modi said he expressed serious concern over these attacks, discussing this with Prime Minister Albanese.

In this joint press conference, Prime Minister Modi said that defence cooperation has an extraordinary place in the strategic bilateral cooperation between India and Australia. Also, the Prime Ministers of both countries clarified that India and Australia were committed to developing a strong supply chain that would not affect by any disruptions.

Although not mentioned directly, it has become clear in Prime Minister Albanese’s visit to India that India and Australia were preparing to challenge China’s supremacy by referring to the Indo-Pacific and alternative supply chains. Australia has been looking to India as an alternative to China after its relationship with China, which was previously Australia’s most important trading partner, soured. Not only this, the leaders of Australia have been appealing internationally that other countries should also look at India as an alternative to China.

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