Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, where the two leaders reviewed the steady expansion of the India–Australia partnership and identified sectors for deeper collaboration.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi described the discussions as “very good” and noted that 2024 marks five years of the strategic partnership between the two nations.
“Had a very good meeting with PM Albanese of Australia. This year, the strategic partnership between our nations completes 5 years, and these years have witnessed transformative outcomes that have deepened our cooperation. During our talks today, we emphasised three key sectors—defence and security, nuclear energy and trade—where there is immense potential for ties to grow further. The other sectors discussed included education, cultural exchanges and more,” PM Modi said.
A Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) release said both leaders expressed satisfaction at the “deepening and diversification of cooperation” between India and Australia, particularly since the elevation of their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020.
According to the MEA, the Australian Prime Minister conveyed solidarity with India over the recent terror attack in the country, while both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the global fight against terrorism.
The meeting covered a wide range of areas including political and strategic engagement, defence and security, energy, trade and investment, critical minerals, technology, mobility, education and people-to-people linkages. The two Prime Ministers also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.
The MEA noted that both leaders acknowledged the momentum created by frequent high-level exchanges in recent years, which have helped accelerate bilateral progress.
“PM Modi and Albanese agreed that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has laid a strong foundation for an expanded and more resilient bilateral framework. They also renewed their commitment to take the partnership to even greater heights,” the MEA added.
–IANS