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India, Australia discussing proposal on mobility of professionals: Jaishankar
A proposal for an understanding on the mobility of talent and skills has been under discussion by the two sides, EAM Jaishankar said at a joint news conference with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra
India and Australia are discussing a proposal for an understanding regarding the mobility of professionals and students as part of efforts to broaden the bilateral partnership, Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Monday.
Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong discussed a range of issues at a meeting in Canberra, including mobility of talent and skills, progress in implementing the bilateral Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), education, defence and counter-terrorism.
A proposal for an understanding on the mobility of talent and skills has been under discussion by the two sides, Jaishankar said at a joint news conference with Wong after their talks. The focus is on “how we can grow education, and what we could do particularly bearing in mind India’s new national education policy”, he said.
“We certainly would like to see Australia, which is one of our major partners in education, also having a stronger presence in India. That’s something which our prime ministers had discussed as well when they had met in Tokyo,” Jaishankar said, referring to a meeting held on the margins of the Quad Summit in May.
India has made the mobility of professionals and students a key part of economic and trade negotiations with all its partners. Mobility was also part of the ECTA that was signed by the two countries in April.
The two foreign ministers also discussed the avoidance of double taxation, critical minerals, cyber issues, clean energy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Jaishankar said in a tweet. “Exchanged views on global and regional developments, recognising our strong convergences and shared interests. Agreed to work closely together in Quad, trilaterals, G20, UN and other important forums,” he added.
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The ECTA is moving towards ratification and entry into force and steps are being taken to amend the double taxation avoidance agreement “because that was also a bit of a challenge to growing our business”, Jaishankar said at the news conference.
Jaishankar and Wong also took stock of issues discussed by the six Indian ministers who visited Australia since June. They include the ministers for coal and mines, renewable energy, education and water resources. “We are…looking at finding ways of…taking [the relationship] to higher levels,” Jaishankar said.
Wong described Australia and India as comprehensive strategic partners that share the Indo‑Pacific region and have the shared ambition of having a region that is “stable, prosperous and respectful of sovereignty, where countries are not required to choose sides but make their own sovereign choices”.
In an apparent reference to China, she added, “We don’t want to see any one country dominating or any country being dominated.”
The Australian government believes it can build and sustain the region by working with others, including in partnership with India, Wong said.
Jaishankar met Australia’s education minister Jason Clare and discussed the “importance of quality education, need for an international outlook and preparation for the global workplace”, he said in a tweet.
He also met deputy prime minister and defence minister Richard Marles and exchanged views on regional and global security. “Our growing defence and security cooperation ensures a peaceful, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific,” he tweeted.
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