Deepening Defence, Economic Ties High On Australian PM Albanese's India Trip
Albanese, who is going to visit India from March 8-10, will be first visiting Ahmedabad, then Mumbai followed by New Delhi where he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Deepening of defence and economic ties between Australia and India is going to be main focus of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s maiden India visit that starts from March 8, according to Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell. Albanese is going to visit India from March 8-10. He will be first visiting Ahmedabad, then Mumbai followed by New Delhi where he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Our Prime Ministers will be meeting a time of global complexities where geostrategic competition is causing disruption in global markets,” the envoy said adding that both leaders will be discussing food and energy security in that context which has become the biggest challenge for all countries due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
In terms of defence partnership he said beyond the joint military exercises that has grown manifold between Indian and Australian armed forces, exchange of sensitive information is increasingly becoming significant.
“Australia welcomes India’s move towards increased defence industries. Australia is not a huge manufacturer in any sector … The more supplies of defence equipment in the world, the better. It provides a compelling environment,” he said responding to a question by ABP Live on India-Australia defence partnership.
The envoy lauded India’s capacity to indegenously developed warship - INS Vikrant - and said during the visit of their defence minister Richard Marles in June last year Australia explored opportunities and “inspected” both the proposed defence corridors coming up in India.
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He said defence companies on both sides visited each other’s recently concluded air shows - Aero India as well as Australia’s international air show, Avalon.
“There is increasing business-to-business cooperation going on. People are seeing what opportunities exists,” he said adding that both sides also have best of the troop carriers and drones.
Australia will also be hosting the Quad Summit later this year for which PM Modi will be visiting Australia. Prior to that PM Albanese will again be visiting India in September for the G20 Summit.
“Quad is not about to turn into an Indo-Pacific NATO,” O’Farrell highlighted.
On Canberra’s ties with Beijing vis-à-vis New Delhi the High Commissioner said, “Our relationship with any country shouldn’t be thought of in the context of a third country.”
Without naming China he said, “We know what that country has been doing in the region over the last number of years. We know that’s have an impact on both our countries. Inevitably if both PMs are talking about strategic issues around the Indo-Pacific various issues are going to be raised.”
He said Australia along with India and the Southeast Asian countries are going to work towards a “free, stable, peaceful and sovereign Indo-Pacific.”
Adani Project Is Up And Running
O’Farrell said the allegations made by the Hindenburg Research’s report on the Adani Group is “a matter for Indian regulators”.
However, he said, as far as Adani’s investment in the Carmichael Coal Mine is concerned it is “fully functioning and fully providing the resources” on renewable energy and coal.
ALSO READ | Australia ‘Hopes’ For More Investments From Adani Group, Ex-PM Tony Abbott Says
“He still is a significant investor from India to Australia,” he highlighted.
Australia also plans to supply rare earth mineral to India. The envoy said Australia is going to be “renewable energy superpower” just as India is going to be “technology superpower”.
“India is one of the world’s fastest growing energy consumers … The scale of India’s energy transition presents unparalleled prospects not just for Australia businesses but also for world’s business for renewable exports,” said the envoy.
The envoy also talked about the recent incidents of Hindu temple vandalisation by Khalistan elements in Australia and said the so-called ‘Khalistan Referendum’ has “no legal standing” either in Australia or in India.
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