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OPINION MAY 06, 2022 | The Indian Eye 10

India–Australia Relations on

the Upswing

Regarding Indo-Pacific region, the two leaders expressed their shared commitment to free, open and rules-based order,
supported by a robust regional architecture, and ASEAN centrality

R.P. SINGH

he Second India–Australia
Summit, held on 21 March
T2022, took stock of various new
initiatives and mechanisms agreed
under the Comprehensive Strate-
gic Partnership (CSP), inked in June
2020. The relationship has been fur-
ther bolstered by the signing of the
India–Australia Economic Coopera-
tion and Trade Agreement (IndAus
ECTA) on 2 April 2022 between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the second India-Australia virtual summit (ANI Photo)
two Trade Ministers, in the presence
of the respective Prime Ministers. economic outcomes were highlighted eral in Bengaluru was announced to icant transformation of the India–
The agreement is a major milestone in the joint statement. Regarding In- help plug Australian businesses into Australia strategic relationship. With
that promises to propel bilateral trade do-Pacific region, the two leaders ex- India’s digital economy and inno- CSP signed in June 2020, an array of
to new heights and achieve ambitious pressed their shared commitment to vation ecosystem. The Progress on institutional mechanisms has been
targets for Indian and Australian free, open and rules-based order, sup- Comprehensive Economic Cooper- initiated to promote bilateral cooper-
economies. ported by a robust regional architec- ation Agreement (CECA) was re- ation, including Joint Declaration on
India–Australia relations have in- ture, and ASEAN centrality. On the viewed, with both sides committed to
deed transitioned from a difficult past Ukraine crisis, they expressed concern a full CECA by the end of the year. Maritime Cooperation, Arrangement
on Mutual Logistics Support, Frame-
to a promising future. Till the year over the conflict and the resultant hu- The two countries shared their com- work arrangement for Cyber & Cyber
2000, there was considerable cynicism manitarian crisis, as also emphasized mitment to cooperate on such aspects Enabled Critical Tech Cooperation
between the two countries and lack of on the importance of dialogue and di- as critical minerals, and emphasized and MoU on Mining and Processing
cooperation in most sectors, primar- plomacy based on the UN charter, in- the need for resilient and sustainable of Critical and Strategic Minerals.
ily owing to contrasting views on the ternational law, respect for sovereign- supply chains for their transportation. The inaugural 2+2 Ministerial Di-
commonwealth, India’s independent ty and territorial integrity of states, to An MoU was signed between Aus- alogue was held in September 2021
foreign policy and Cold War dynam- resolve the crisis. The leaders called tralia’s Critical Minerals Facilitation and the two Foreign Ministers have
ics. When India conducted nuclear for immediate cessation of violence Office and Khanij Bidesh Ltd for joint been meeting regularly. The two na-
tests in 1998, Australia imposed tough against the civilian population in cooperation on critical minerals. Fur- tions have a robust defense partner-
economic sanctions, resulting in fur- Myanmar, release of detained leaders ther, Australia and India pledged to ship. Besides dialogues, training and
ther deterioration of relations. Eco- there and unhindered humanitarian cooperate on research, production exchanges, they conduct regular joint
nomic and trade cooperation as well access. The two leaders committed to and commercialization of clean tech- military exercises, as also anti-piracy
as people-to-people links were also humanitarian assistance, adherence nologies, critical minerals and energy. coordination and white shipping in-
limited. to counter-terrorism commitments Among other new declarations formation sharing. Bilateral military
However, since 2000, the two and human rights in Afghanistan. are the India–Australia Centre of
countries began to forge an increas- Concerning South China Sea, both Excellence for Critical and Emerg- exercises that have been conducted
include AUSINDEX 2021, PITCH
ingly cooperative partnership, essen- sides underlined the importance of ing Technology Policy, to be set up in BLACK 2018 and AUSTRAHIND
tially driven by the changing regional freedom of navigation and over flight, Bengaluru, and establishment of Gen 2018.Australia has consistently sup-
landscape in Asia and China’s aggres- consistent with international laws, Rawat India–Australia Young De- ported India’s NSG membership, and
sive behavior, as also improving In- particularly UN Convention on the fense Officers’ Exchange Programme. permanent seat in the UN Security
dia–US relations, as signified by the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). It was Australia committed the largest sin- Council. India and Australia signed
nuclear deal. Bilateral relations were announced that India will participate gle investment in the bilateral rela- the civil nuclear agreement in 2014
further bolstered by Prime Minister in the Indo-Pacific Endeavour Exer- tionship with India of about US$ 280 and Australia made the first uranium
Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia in cise 2022, which aims to promote se- million across skills, diplomacy, clean shipment to India in 2017. However,
2014 and recent partnerships forged curity and stability in Australia’s near technology, critical minerals and trade in uranium since then has been
as part of the Quad meetings and oth- region through bilateral and multilat- space exploration. Indian diaspora in lackluster owing to issues regarding
er mini-laterals. eral engagement, training and capac- Australia is more than 6 lakh people safeguards, and Australian domestic
ity building. and about 1 lakh students, totaling
Virtual Summit On the economic front, Austra- about 3 per cent of the Australian politics.
At the Virtual Summit on 21 lia–India Infrastructure Forum was population. On multilateral issues, both coun-
March 2022, all areas of coopera- launched to enable Australian firms tries are members of the Quad, along
with Japan and the United States, and
tion were discussed between the two to explore India’s vast infrastructure Convergences
leaders, and the key strategic and opportunities. A new Consulate-Gen- Recent years have seen a signif- Continued at next page... >>

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