Melbourne [Australia], July 10 (ANI): Victoria Leader of Opposition Jess Wilson on Friday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Melbourne as a milestone, defining the India-Australia relationship as an "incredibly important relationship." Speaking with ANI, Wilson reflected on her meeting with PM Modi, calling it an "absolute honour" and stating that their discussions centered on strengthening the bilateral partnership. She expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for inviting her to visit India, noting her enthusiasm for the opportunity.
Wilson's Remarks on India-Australia Ties
"It was an absolute honour to meet Prime Minister Modi this morning, and I carry the best wishes of everyone here in the Indian community in Melbourne and Victoria... This is an incredibly important relationship, one that is based on trade, people-to-people, education, and sporting links. The Prime Minister this morning talked about his goal to strengthen that relationship, and that is certainly my goal. It was delightful to hear from the Prime Minister that he invited me to visit India. I very much look forward to doing so," Wilson stated.
Sporting and Cultural Connections
Wilson highlighted the deep connection between the two nations through sports, particularly cricket. "We've got a wonderful tradition, particularly through cricket, and I think there's a lot of opportunity to expand on that," she said.
Third Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit
Her remarks came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese concluded the third Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the six-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The summit, hosted in Melbourne, resulted in a landmark suite of agreements focused on reinforcing Indo-Pacific security, securing critical mineral supply chains, and accelerating the clean energy transition.
Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation
According to the joint statement released by the PMO Australia, central to the summit was the release of a new Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, replacing the 2009 security pact and deepening military integration. "Australia values India as a top-tier security partner, and the Declaration reflects our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," Prime Minister Albanese stated. "We will boost strategic coordination, increase the complexity of our defence exercises and further build interoperability between our defence forces."
Defence Innovation Corridor and Nuclear Cooperation
Prime Minister Modi underscored the practical implications, noting the creation of an India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor. "Through the India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor, we will work to connect defence startups and industries," Modi said. "Our maritime security collaboration roadmap will infuse new strength to our shared efforts in the Indo-Pacific." Another major breakthrough was the finalisation of administrative arrangements for the 2015 Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, paving the way for Australian uranium exports to India for peaceful, IAEA-safeguarded civil nuclear energy programs. "The arrangement facilitates Australian uranium exports to India to help increase the share of non-fossil fuel power capacity, providing an additional market for the Australian resources sector," Albanese stated. Modi echoed this, noting the agreement would "give our clean energy objectives fresh momentum" as India scales its nuclear baseload capacity by 2047.
Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement
The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to finalising the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), expressing a desire for an "ambitious, balanced and win-win" deal that expands upon the 2022 Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement. "India-Australia partnership is not just a partnership for the present; it is also a partnership for the future," Modi concluded, inviting Albanese to return to India for further consultations.
