Daijiworld Media Network - Melbourne
Melbourne, Jul 9: India and Australia on Thursday signed a new Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation and adopted a Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap aimed at strengthening peace, stability and security across the Indo-Pacific region.
The two countries also finalised an administrative arrangement for the long-term supply of Australian uranium to India following delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese during the third Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit in Melbourne.
In a joint press statement after the talks, Prime Minister Modi said the Indo-Pacific was not merely the meeting point of two oceans but represented the shared aspirations of like-minded democracies such as India and Australia.
"The Indo-Pacific is not just a meeting point of two oceans but showcases the shared aspirations of like-minded democracies like India and Australia," Modi said.
Briefing the media later, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the discussions reflected the growing strategic partnership and close understanding between the two leaders.
On the economic front, both countries agreed to accelerate negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) following deliberations at the India-Australia CEOs Forum. The move aims to build on the 55 per cent growth in bilateral trade achieved since the implementation of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) in 2022.
The two sides also operationalised the Australia-India Partnership for Cyber Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (AI PACTS) and announced continued Australian support for India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.
Highlighting their shared strategic interests, India and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific through enhanced maritime cooperation.
The leaders also reiterated their support for the Quad, describing it as an important platform for promoting regional security, counterterrorism cooperation and disaster relief initiatives.
Prime Minister Modi also reaffirmed India's commitment to peace and stability in West Asia during the discussions.