India and Australia share warm bilateral relations based on shared democratic values and pluralism. There is a growing convergence of strategic perspectives between the two countries.
Importance of India-Australia relations:
- India is Australia’s ninth largest trading partner, with boundless potential for growth
- Indian-origin residents are the fourth largest group of overseas-born Australians
- Australia-India Exercise (AUSINDEX): Military cooperation between Australia and India includes the regular joint naval exercise AUSINDEX
Other aspects of India-Australia relations discussed:
- Both countries sought to provide a boost to trade and security ties including counterterrorism cooperation.
- Trade deal: Both countries could not conclude negotiations for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) which they have been negotiating.
- Uranium Supply: Australia held that it is ready to supply uranium to India as soon as possible. Both countries had signed civil nuclear cooperation in 2013 but actual supply has not yet commenced due to absence of any commercial contract.
- NSG membership: Australia will support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and also for Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement, the two export control regimes.
- Maritime security: Both countries agreed share common interests in ensuring maritime security and the safety of sea lines of communication.
- They also recognised importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS.
- Defence: Both countries agreed to remain strongly committed to the breadth of their defence ties and recalled the Special Forces Bilateral Exercise conducted in October 2016.
- 2+2 Dialogue: India and Australia held their first ‘2+2 dialogue’ in New Delhi and highlighted need to maintain Asia-Pacific region as a “free” and “open” zone. The 2+2 dialogue model between both countries included foreign and defence secretaries.
MoU signed in recent Australian PM visit:
- MoU on Cooperation in Sports.
- MoU on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.
- MoU on Cooperation in the field of Environment, Climate and Wildlife.
- MoU for Promotion and Development of Cooperation in Civil Aviation Security
- MoU on Cooperation in Combatting International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime.
- Implementation arrangement between ISRO and Geoscience Australia on Cooperation in Earth Observation and Satellite Navigation.
The way forward
- India and Australia need to increase bilateral cooperation and collective efforts with other like-minded countries
- Together both countries can shape a future region in which strong and effective rules and open markets deliver lasting peace and prosperity