8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks
Source: PIB
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Overview
- News in Brief
- India-Australia relations
Why in News?
- The 8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks (DPT) took place in Canberra, Australia on July 24-25, 2023.
- The talks were co-chaired by Smt. Nivedita Shukla Verma, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, and Mr. Steven Moore, Acting Deputy Secretary in the Department of Defence, Australia.
News in Brief
- The primary focus of the talks was to review and strengthen the bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries.
- Both sides discussed new initiatives to further deepen and strengthen their engagement.
- Additionally, they identified ways to enhance their partnership in the co-development and co-production of defence equipment.
Image by WikiImages from Pixabay - India highlighted the potential and capacity of its defence industry to cooperate with the Australian Armed Forces in their shipbuilding and maintenance plans.
- Both countries share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership since June 2020, and defence is a key pillar of this partnership.
- The partnership is based on a shared vision of a free, open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
- India and Australia have a common interest in peace and prosperity in the entire region.
- The two countries also have a 2+2 mechanism at the Ministerial level, which was reviewed in the 8th DPT.
- The outcomes of the maiden 2+2 conducted in September 2021 were analyzed, and both sides agreed to the early finalization of a hydrography agreement.
- Furthermore, they exchanged views on the geopolitical situation, regional and global issues of shared interest.
- In conclusion, the talks were successful in reaffirming the commitment of both countries to fully implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests, and shared values of democracy and the rule of law.
- The discussions also highlighted the potential for further cooperation in defence and other areas to strengthen the partnership between India and Australia.
India-Australia relations
- Since diplomatic relations were established in 1941, Australia and India have maintained a strong and mutually beneficial relationship.
- Initially, the Consulate General of India was opened in Sydney as a Trade Office, which marked the beginning of close economic ties between the two nations.
- One of the most significant aspects of this relationship is the flow of skilled immigrants from India to Australia.
- According to the 2021 Census, there are approximately 976,000 individuals in Australia who report their ancestry as Indian origin.
- This makes them the second most substantial group of overseas-born residents in the country.
Defence relations
- In the 2020 India-Australia Leaders’ Virtual Summit, the Prime Ministers of both nations decided to elevate their bilateral relationship from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- This move has led to the establishment of defence cooperation through the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA), which was signed during the Virtual Summit in June 2020.
- Moreover, Australia is set to host the “Malabar” exercises in August 2023, with India, Japan, and the US participating. India has also been invited to participate in the Talisman Sabre exercises in 2023.
Economic Relations
- Another significant development in the Australia-India relationship is the signing of India’s first free trade agreement with a developed country, the Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement (ECTA), which came into force in December 2022.
- The agreement has resulted in a reduction of duty to zero on 96% of Indian exports to Australia in value (representing 98% of tariff lines) and zero duty on 85% of Australia’s exports (in value) to India.
- The two countries are members of several organizations, including:
- Quad
- Commonwealth
- Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)
- ASEAN Regional Forum
- Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development
- Additionally, both nations have participated in the East Asia Summits and have cooperated as members of the Five Interested Parties (FIP) in the World Trade Organization context.
- Australia is an essential player in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and supports India’s membership in the organization.
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