Australian PM Assured Me That Safety Of Indian Community Is Priority: PM Modi

PM Modi said that Australian PM Anthony Albanese has assured that the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Australia is a priority for them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Source : Twitter/ANI

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Australian PM Anthony Albanese has assured that the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Australia is a priority. "I have seen reports of attacks on temples in Australia. I have conveyed this to PM Albanese and he has assured me that the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Australia is a priority for them," PM Modi said as quoted by ANI.

I have seen reports of attacks on temples in Australia. I have conveyed this to PM Albanese and he has assured me that the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Australia is a priority for them: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/NqsxUA8f47

— ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2023

PM Modi on Friday addressed a joint press briefing with Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese after both leaders held talks for boosting overall bilateral engagement in areas of trade and investment, defence, and critical minerals.

During his address PM Modi said that maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region discussed. He also said that the teams are working on a comprehensive economic agreement between the two countries. "Security cooperation is an important pillar in Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Australia. We discussed maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region today," PM Modi said, as quoted by news agency ANI. He further added, "Our teams working on a comprehensive economic agreement between our two countries."

Ahead of the joint address, Modi and Anthony Albanese witnessed the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two countries in Delhi. MoUs were signed in sports and audio-visual co-production agreement and terms of reference for Solar Taskforce exchanged between India and Australia, ANI reported.

Earlier in the day, the Australian Prime Minister said Canberra wants to cooperate with India to build a stronger relationship in areas of culture, economic relations as well as security. Albanese's visit comes after a series of high-level engagements and an exchange of ministerial trips between the two sides in 2022 and in 2023.

The India-Australia bilateral economic ties have been strengthening as trade between the two countries was USD 27.5 billion (one billion = 100 crore) in 2021. Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India and India is Australia's ninth largest trading partner, according to official data cited by news agency PTI.