Australian PM Albanese voices concerns to PM Modi over Chinese missile test
New Delhi, July 9; Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi his concerns regarding China’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch. In response, the Prime Minister stated that India shares a vision of peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific. India and Australia share common interests and goals in this regard. “We not only share our views on this issue but also work towards cooperation to ensure peace and stability.”
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri today held a press conference regarding the Prime Minister’s day-long engagements in Australia and the talks between the two leaders. During the press conference, he stated that the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation between India and Australia and the India-Australia Maritime Security Cooperation Roadmap are significant developments. He said that this declaration acknowledges that the partnership must evolve in response to changing strategic circumstances.
The two leaders also agreed that the time has come to raise the partnership’s ambition on contemporary issues such as cybersecurity, critical technologies, supply chain diversification, and technology security. Several other agreements were also signed during the visit.
Australia will soon supply uranium to India. The Foreign Secretary stated that this represents a major milestone in fulfilling India’s commitment to transition to clean energy. He explained that despite the nuclear agreement, it had not yet been realized due to reporting issues. The last two years of discussions have developed a framework on all these issues.
The Foreign Secretary responded to the issue of delays in the evaluation and processing of Indian student visa applications by Australia. He stated that the Australian government maintains that this will not impair genuine opportunities for Indian students. The Foreign Secretary also denied that Indian students are facing application restrictions.
On the issue of terrorism, the Foreign Secretary stated that both leaders acknowledged its horrors, strongly condemned it, and called on countries to strengthen their collective fight against it, instead of resorting to double standards.
The Foreign Secretary stated that the two Prime Ministers also recognized the central role of industry-led partnerships and strategic investments in deepening cooperation to support reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy supplies.
Misri stated that the two leaders also discussed climate change, which is an important shared objective and concern for both countries. Prime Minister Modi recognized Australia’s leadership in chairing the negotiations for the upcoming COP 31 meeting
