Relationship with India is important, Australian PM said before meeting Modi

Australian PM Anthony Albanese said he and PM Modi are optimistic about concluding talks on a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement before the end of the year

NEW DELHI: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that he and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi are optimistic about concluding talks on a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement before the end of the year to drive economic growth.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi was his sixth since he was sworn in as PM a year ago. (AP)

Albanese made the remarks during question hour in the Australian Parliament, hours before he is scheduled to join PM Modi at an Indian diaspora event in Sydney. He also referred to the importance of the relationship with India in view of its economic growth and its influence in the Indian Ocean.

“Prime Minister Modi and I are optimistic that we’ll conclude discussions on the comprehensive economic cooperation agreement before the end of the year. That will create Australian jobs, helping our industries prosper and sparking growth and innovation,” he said.

Last year, the two countries signed an interim trade deal known as the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), which entered into force on December 29, 2022. The two sides are partners in the Quad along with Japan and the US and are also working closely on using Australia’s critical minerals to ramp up India’s drive for renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Responding to a question from government chief whip Joanne Ryan on how the government is working to strengthen the relationship with India, Albanese said he was set to hold his sixth meeting with Modi since he was sworn in as prime minister a year ago.

“It shows how important the relationship between Australia and India is. India will grow to be the third-largest economy in the world. It’s already the most populous country in the world. And it is an important neighbour in the Indian Ocean that we share,” he said.

“That is why this is a relationship that we need to invest in,” he said.

Renewable energy is a focus of the bilateral partnership, and businesses from the two sides are cooperating on renewables and “extending the critical minerals partnership as well”, Albanese said.

“Our security and defence links are growing, and Australia will host Exercise Malabar for the first time this year,” he said, referring to the naval exercise that includes India, Japan and the US.

Albanese said he would join Modi on stage at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Tuesday evening for the diaspora event.

“This event will celebrate Australia’s large and vibrant Indian community. And Australia is a better place because of the contribution of the Indian diaspora. They have brought the spirit of the world’s largest democracy to Australia and helped make our democracy stronger and more inclusive,” he said.

He noted that Sameer Pandey was elected the new lord mayor of Parramatta’s city council, becoming the first Indian Australian to hold such a high office in local government in the region.

Albanese said that during his last visit to India in March, the two sides announced the opening of Deakin University, the first-ever foreign university in the country. It will operate in Gujarat and will be followed by Wollongong University.

“One of the things that is happening with our population in Australia is the return of Indian students to Australia, which is something that this side of the House welcomes because of the difference that it will make,” he said.

Describing India as a “key strategic partner”, Albanese said: “We have a rich friendship. We have a very affectionate sporting rivalry, of course, on the cricket fields of the world, and we’ll contest the championship once again very shortly. We are both part of a growing and dynamic region, and Prime Minister Modi is a very welcome visitor to our shores.”

Australia is the last leg of Modi’s three-nation tour that also took him to Japan, where he participated in outreach sessions of the G7 Summit, and to Papua New Guinea, where he co-chaired a summit with leaders of 14 Pacific Island states.