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Business News/ News / India/  From watching cricket match to negotiating trade deals - Highlights from Australian PM's visit to India
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From watching cricket match to negotiating trade deals - Highlights from Australian PM's visit to India

Anthony Albanese visit entailed discussions on various topics from defense to economic cooperation and even some sensitive issues

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi arrive to attend a photo opportunity ahead of their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi (REUTERS)Premium
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi arrive to attend a photo opportunity ahead of their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi (REUTERS)

The leaders of India and Australia expressed commitment to expanding the scope of the existing free trade agreement as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese looks at concluding his India visit on Saturday. The visit entailed discussions on various topics from defense to economic cooperation to cricket and even some sensitive issues like Khalistan. 

Highlights from Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to India

Cricket Diplomacy

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in India on 8 March on a four-day visit. This was his first official visit to India after taking over the office in May 2022. The visit kickstarted in Ahmedabad where the Prime Ministers of India and Australia inaugurated the fourth Test match between the Indian and Australian cricket teams.

Economic Cooperation

PM Modi and PM Albanese agreed on concluding the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) as soon as possible. Australian Prime Minister said that the landmark agreement will be a transformational step and create jobs and opportunities for both countries.

The bilateral trade between both nations was US$ 27.5 billion in 2021 and in the next five years, it can reach $50 billion. The leaders of both nations have set an ambitious target to take it up to $100 billion soon.

The Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement (ECTA) between India and Australia came into force in December 2022 and resulted in zero duty on 96% of India's exports to Australia and 85% of Australia's exports to India.

Defense cooperation

The discussion between PM Modi and PM Anthony ranged around defense, economic cooperation, education, and bilateral trade. Albanese also visited India's indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. He was received onboard Vikrant by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar with a Guard of Honour.

Amid an increasingly ‘uncertain’ global environment, Albanese emphasized “defense and security" as the important pillars of the strategic partnership between the countries.

The relations between India and Australia have deteriorated with China in recent times. Australia's ban on Huawei from the 5G network, calls to investigate the origin of the Covid-19 virus, and concerns around human rights violations in Xinjiang and Hongkong has irked China.

Education Sector

Mutual Recognition of Educational Qualifications (MREQ) was signed between India and Australia in March 2023 to facilitate mobility of students between India and Australia. Recently, the Deakin University and University of Wollongong have announced their plans to open campuses in India. 

Australian PM announced ‘Australia-India education qualification recognition mechanism’ which mean that degrees obtained in India and Australia will be recognised is both countries. “This new mechanism means that if you are an Indian student studying or have studied in Australia, your hard-earned degree will be recognised when you return home," PM Albanese said

Sensitive Issues

PM Modi also discussed some sensitive issues with his Australian counterpart like the spate of attacks by Khalistan supporters on Hindu religious sites in Australia. The discussions were around attacks on Hindu temples in Australian cities like Melbourne and Brisbane by Khalistan supporters.

Australian Prime Minister assured the Indian side that all necessary measures will be taken in this regard on priority to ensure the prevalence of peace and harmony in their societies.

 

 

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Devesh Kumar
I cover politics, geo-politics, economy, and technology and have keen interest in understanding and analyzing the complex issues that shape our world. I am committed to delivering well-researched, balanced, and thought-provoking stories that provides insights into the key trends and developments.
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Published: 11 Mar 2023, 04:40 PM IST
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