Sat, Mar 11, 2023 page1

• Australia looks to bolster ties with India

  ‘UNCERTAIN GLOBAL SECURITY’: Energy, supply chains and safety of Indians in Australia were discussed, as the Australian leader called India a ‘top tier security partner’

  • AP, NEW DELHI
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  The prime ministers of India and Australia yesterday expressed concern over an “increasingly uncertain global security environment,” and committed themselves to bolstering their defense and security partnership to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

  The two nations are working to strengthen the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly called the Quad, an alliance of Australia, India, Japan and the US that aims to counter China’s rising influence in Asia.

  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, on a four-day visit to India, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not directly refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but they praised their two nations’ growing cooperation in defense and security.

  

  Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a news conference in New Delhi yesterday.

  Photo: EPA-EFE

  That relationship includes logistical support, information exchanges, military exercises, and scientific and technological cooperation, Albanese said in a statement to reporters after his talks with Modi.

  “Prime Minister Modi and I discussed an increasingly uncertain global security environment, and committed to strengthening the Australia-India defense and security partnership to address shared challenges and work toward an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Albanese said.

  The two nations also agreed to expand their cooperation on climate and energy, particularly solar and hydrogen, which are critical to energy transition goals, he said.

  The two leaders also underlined the importance of working more closely to secure critical mineral supply chains, he said.

  Albanese invited Modi to attend a summit of Quad members to be held in Australia in May.

  Modi said he discussed with Albanese attacks on Hindu temples in Australia, where Indian immigrants are the second-largest demographic.

  Media reports said the attacks were carried out by Sikh separatist groups.

  He said Albanese assured him the safety of the Indian community was a priority for him.

  At an earlier media briefing yesterday, Albanese was asked to explain his nation’s position on China after he described India as a “top-tier security partner.”

  “We need to ensure that Australia’s defense assets are the best they can be, and that we build our capability. At the same time, we need to build relationships... I’ve been doing that here in India, we’re doing that throughout the Indo-Pacific,” Albenese said.

  Australia has “improved our relationship with China in recent times as well,” he added.

  The Indian Ocean is central to both nations’ security and prosperity, Albanese wrote on Twitter on Thursday, adding: “We are working together to ensure the Indo-Pacific is open, inclusive, and prosperous.”

  Albanese was also asked yesterday about the raid by Indian tax officials on BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai after the broadcaster aired a documentary that was critical of Modi.

  “Australia stands up for press freedom, but India is a great democracy, and to dismiss that is, I think, wrong,” Albanese said. “Where there are differences or issues to be raised, we raise them privately and appropriately.”

  Albanese on Thursday met Indian business leaders in Mumbai. He told the business leaders that now could be a turning point in accelerating economic cooperation and mutual benefits in the relationship between the two nations.

  Albanese said that India and Indonesia would grow to be the third and fourth-largest economies in the world, which presents “an incredible opportunity” for Australia.

  A bilateral trade agreement that came into force in December last year is expected to vastly tap the trade potential between the two nations, as 96 percent of Indian goods exports can now enter Australia duty-free. Likewise, 85 percent of Australian exports can enter India duty-free.

  In the last fiscal year, India was Australia’s ninth-largest trading partner and they hope to double the amount trade in the next five years.
• Most Popular

  • 1

    PLA sends 8 vessels, 24 aircraft across median line

  • 2

    Chinese database for spying on Taiwanese leaked

  • 3

    MOFA to retaliate if S Korea does not fix Taiwan’s name on travel system

  • 4

    Taiwan aiming to be major UAV player

  • 5

    US set to boost explosives production