Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, arrives in India for a bilateral visit. This is the first time an Australian PM has gone to India since the Labour Party took power in May 2022. During this visit, the first India-Australia Annual Summit will be held in person. This will give the leaders of the two countries a chance to talk about and move forward their comprehensive strategic partnership.
The stop follows a number of high-level meetings and ministerial visits between the two countries in 2022 and 2023, including recent trips to India by the Australian Foreign Minister and Education Minister. This means that there will be more diplomatic work between New Delhi and Canberra, but on the economic side, big steps have been made.
In December 2022, the Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement (ECTA) went into effect. It is the first free trade agreement that India has signed with a developed country in ten years, and it is expected to increase trade between the two countries to around US$50 billion in five years.
The two countries are also working together more on defence. There is a lot of cooperation between the military, air force, and navy of both countries. During the virtual summit in June 2020, different military exercises were held and plans were made for mutual logistical support.
In addition to working together on defence and the economy, the two countries also want to work together on clean energy. They have taken a number of steps towards this goal, such as signing a Letter of Intent on New and Renewable Energy in February 2022.
People-to-people ties between India and Australia are also important, and the size and importance of the Indian community in Australia keeps growing. According to the 2021 Census, about 9,76,000 Australians can trace their roots back to India. This makes them the second-largest group of people who were born somewhere other than Australia.
During the visit, an agreement was signed that makes it easier for students from India and Australia to move between the two countries. The campuses of Deakin University and the University of Wollongong will also be in India.
India and Australia work together in the Commonwealth, the IORA, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the International Solar Alliance. Australia has also given India’s G20 Presidency a lot of support.
The State Visit of Australian PM Albanese is expected to add to the strong momentum that has been steadily building between the two countries over the years.
