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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  India, Australia may sign social security deal during Narendra Modi’s visit
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India, Australia may sign social security deal during Narendra Modi’s visit

Agreement would allow Indian professionals to repatriate money deducted for social security in Australia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet top leaders of China and Japan, and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Photo: Hindustan TimesPremium
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet top leaders of China and Japan, and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Photo: Hindustan Times

New Delhi: India and Australia are likely to sign a social security agreement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Australia, officials said on Monday, a move that will help Indians who go to Australia for short work visits like information technology (IT) professionals.

If signed, it will allow Indian professionals like those working in the IT sector—numbering 5,000 according to industry lobby group Nasscom—to repatriate money deducted for social security in Australia.

Modi, who leaves on Tuesday on a 10-day visit of Myanmar, Australia and Fiji, will aim to strengthen India’s ties with the Asia-Pacific region given the country’s focus on the region and its Act East policy. The Prime Minister is expected to meet top leaders of key neighbour China, economic and strategic partner Japan and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

During the three-nation swing, Modi will be attending his first India-Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and East Asia Summits in Myanmar on 12-13 November. While Asean groups together Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, the East Asia Summit brings together the 10 members of Asean and Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation and the US, besides India.

“The 10-nation Asean community has the third largest population; it would be the seventh largest economy in the world; and the third fastest growing economic unit this century," Modi said in a statement released on Monday on the eve of his departure to Myanmar. “I am looking forward to discussing with Asean leaders how to take our relationship to a new level, which will supplement our deepening bilateral ties with each member."

One of the high points of Modi’s visit to Myanmar is expected to be his maiden meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the East Asia summit at Naypyitaw.

Foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters that there would be a “structured" meeting and delegation-level talks between Modi and Li, ranked only second after President Xi Jinping in the Chinese Communist Party.

During the second leg of his visit, Modi will be in Australia for the Group of Twenty (G-20) Summit apart from having bilateral meetings. “A key issue for me would be to highlight the importance of international cooperation against black money," Modi said in his statement. “I also intend to discuss how we can accelerate the creation of next-generation infrastructure, which also includes digital infrastructure, and ensure access to clean and affordable energy," he added.

On the sidelines of the G-20 meeting, Modi will hold talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Akbaruddin said.

There will also be an informal meeting of the leaders of the Brics (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) countries on the margins of the G-20 that would bring the Prime Minister face to face with Xi for their third interaction since Modi took office in May. Modi had previously met Xi on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Brazil in July and during Xi’s bilateral visit to India in September. The latter was overshadowed by the intrusion of Chinese troops into Indian territory in Kashmir’s Demchok area.

On the bilateral segment of his visit to Australia, Modi will hold talks with Prime Minister Abbott—the second meeting between the two leaders in two months. Abbott was in India on a bilateral visit in September. Modi will address a joint sitting of the Federal Parliament in Canberra and Abbott will host a reception for Modi at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Anil Wadhwa, secretary, East, in the foreign ministry, said Modi’s bilateral visit to Australia was aimed at “re-engaging" Australia.

Modi will also be meeting with Australian chief executives in Melbourne, Wadhwa said. Indian investment in Australia is about $11 billion with another $15 billion in the pipeline, especially in the mining sector, while Australian investments in India are about $600 million, Wadhwa said.

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Published: 11 Nov 2014, 12:04 AM IST
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