Leaders of Australia and India met on May 24 looking to bind closer economic as well as security ties, such as enhanced critical mineral cooperation.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also went on to discuss the Russian conflict with Ukraine and its impact on developing countries, especially in terms of fuel and food security, said the Indian officials.
It is the first time that Prime Minister Modi has visited Australia since 2014, and just two months after Prime Minister Albanese travelled to India.
It is well to be noted that India and Australia happen to be members of the QUAD group, which also includes the US and Japan.
The QUAD meeting went on to be held on the side-lines of the G7 summit in Tokyo, as President Biden had to get back to Washington directly.
As per Albanese, the QUAD leaders do stand together when it comes to an open, stable, prosperous, and more secure Indo-Pacific region in which all the countries, big and small, benefit from a regional balance that has peace.
Albanese added that he and Modi also went on to discuss migration, trade, and renewable energy, and the two nations have already come up with a hydrogen task force so as to expand cooperation when it comes to clean energy.
Australia, apparently whose biggest trading partner is China, is looking to diversify its export market and is thereby going ahead with closer ties linked to trade with India. India happens to be Australia’s sixth-largest trading ally, with 750,000 people within Australia of Indian origin.
Prime Minister Modi went on to say that his discussion with his Australian counterpart surrounded increasing cooperation in terms of mining as well as critical minerals, and he has also inked a deal to push Indian student and business travel to Australia.
He added that they talked about taking India-Australia’s comprehensive strategic ties to new heights in the coming decade. As per Indian officials, the next round of trade negotiations will take place in June and July. As per Modi, a migration agreement will strengthen the living bridge. He referred to the Indian diaspora, which happens to be the second-largest and fastest-growing in Australia. It is well to be noted that Modi travelled to Australia after holding a meeting in Papua New Guinea with 14 Pacific Island leaders.
Vinay Kwatra, the Indian Foreign Secretary, told reporters in Sydney that both India and Australia’s prime ministers had a discussion on Australia’s development programme synergies across the Pacific islands. The Pacific Islands Agenda of India was completely targeted at economic and health collaborations.