New Delhi [India], November 20 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday underscored the importance of maintaining strong momentum in India-Australia relations to ensure meaningful results, especially amid an increasingly complex geopolitical environment. He made the remarks during the 16th India-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue in New Delhi.
Jaishankar said that in the current global landscape, democracies like India and Australia shoulder greater responsibilities. He noted that both nations face shared challenges, including maritime security, strengthening resilient supply chains, countering terrorism, and advancing climate action.
“So, it is essential that we sustain a strong momentum in our ties, that we deliver tangible outcomes, that we work together to achieve this through shared regional and global priorities,” he stated.
Calling the Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue a key pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Jaishankar said it reflects the trust, democratic values, and common vision the two countries share for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific. He added that, as the partnership marks its fifth year, the warmth and ease of cooperation between the two countries are increasingly evident.
He highlighted the expansion of cooperation across several pillars, including trade and investment, defence and security, education and skills, research and innovation, science and technology, space, energy, and people-to-people ties.
On trade and investment, Jaishankar noted that bilateral economic linkages continue to grow steadily and expressed confidence that the ongoing negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement would be concluded soon.
In the education sector, the EAM pointed to new formats of innovation that have added an important dimension to bilateral cooperation.
Ahead of her visit, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong had remarked that Australia and India “have never been closer,” describing the partnership as increasingly consequential in a “sharper and more competitive world.” She added that the visit builds on the momentum of recent bilateral engagements and signals Canberra’s commitment to strengthening resilience and regional stability.
Wong emphasized that cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership demonstrates the deepening alignment and shared vision for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Her visit follows Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s trip to Australia in October, during which he held delegation-level talks with Wong and met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Singh had praised the positive trajectory of the bilateral relationship. (ANI)
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