India-Australia talks: PM Modi raises temple attack, Albanese assures safety of Indians

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Friday, raised the issue of attacks on temples in Australia among other things like Indo-Pacific security. Both the prime ministers met for the first India-Australia Annual Summit talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
During the talks, Prime Minister Modi expressed concerns over reports of attacks on temples in Australia. “I have conveyed our concern to PM Albanese and he has assured me that the safety and well-being of the Indian community in Australia is a priority for them. Our teams will be in touch regarding this and cooperate as much as possible with each other,” said PM Modi while addressing a joint press conference after the talks.

The latest attack took place as early as March 4 on a prominent Hindu temple in Brisbane by alleged pro-Khalistan supporters. In January, at least two attacks were reported on temples in Australia, including a temple in Victoria state's Carrum Downs. According to local media reports, "Khalistani supporters" had allegedly vandalised the Hindu temple and defaced it with anti-India graffiti.
Indo-Pacific situation
Prime Minister Modi said in the field of defence, they discussed maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, and increasing mutual defence and security cooperation.
“India and Australia have made remarkable agreements in the last few years, including logistics support for each other’s armies. There is regular and useful exchange of information between our security agencies, and we discussed further strengthening it. Security cooperation is an important pillar of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Today we discussed maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, and increasing mutual defence and security cooperation,” the PM said, adding they have established General Rawat Officers Exchange Programme this month to increase contact and friendship among “our young soldiers”.
The review of the situation in the Indo-Pacific came amid growing concerns over China's increasing military assertiveness in the region.
On Thursday, after visiting India’s homemade aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, which was commissioned in the Indian navy in September, in Mumbai, Albanese had tweeted that the Indian Ocean is central to both countries’ security and prosperity. "And we are working together to ensure the Indo-Pacific is open, inclusive, and prosperous."
Even days ahead of his visit, Albanese had said a stronger India-Australia partnership was good for regional stability and that it also meant more trade and investment.

Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement
Both the PMs said the teams are working on comprehensive economic agreement.
Australian PM Albanese added they also agreed on an early conclusion of “our ambitious Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. “I am hopeful that we will be able to finalise it this year,” he said.
Prime Minister Modi further said they discussed mutual cooperation to develop reliable and strong global supply chains.
Prime Minister Modi, meanwhile, thanked PM Albanese for inviting him to Australia for the Quad Leaders' summit in May. “I have invited him to India for the G20 summit in September,” said PM Modi. India and Australia are both the members of the Quad, a four-country grouping including the United States and Japan as well.
Ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the first India-Australia Annual Summit talks between Prime Ministers Modi and Albanese were held in a restricted format.
The talks “reaffirms the shared commitment towards further deepening of our comprehensive strategic partnership”, said the MEA.
In their talks, PM Modi and Albanese, who arrived in India on Wednesday, focussed on boosting overall bilateral ties in trade and investment, defence, education, renewable energy and critical minerals.
The MEA tweeted that the mechanism of annual summits was institutionalised during the India-Australia virtual summit in March 2022, and that Friday’s talk is a reflection of the ever-expanding engagement between our two countries.
'Australia and India are great friends'
Before Friday’s meeting, the Australian PM, who is on a four-day visit to India, told the media this morning that he would be meeting with PM Modi and President Droupadi Murmu to further build upon the “important” India-Australia relationship.

“Australia wants to cooperate with India and build cultural and economic relations as well as relationships in the area of security,” the Australian PM told the media after inspecting a guard of honour.
He added Australia and India are great friends. “We are partners and building that partnership even stronger each and every day. I led a delegation here of significant business leaders as well," said Australian PM Albanese.
Albanese further said that both the countries are cooperating to make the world a better place.
“We are competing on the cricket field to be the world's best but together we are building a better world," the Australian PM said.

Tribute to Mahatma Gandhi
Before the talks, the Australian PM paid his respects to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial, Raj Ghat in New Delhi.
“It was an honour to lay a wreath here, and represent Australia in paying tribute to Gandhi,” he tweeted.

Earlier after arriving in Ahmedabad, Albanese had paid tributes to Gandhi during a visit to Sabarmati Ashram.
Cricket diplomacy
On Thursday, both the prime ministers lent a touch of cricket diplomacy to their ties as they inaugurated the fourth cricket Test match of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia in Ahmedabad.

Prime Minister Albanese and his host PM Modi handed caps emblazoned with national emblems to respective captains Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma, after which the four clasped their hands and raised them to the delight of thousands of cricket fans.
The two prime ministers also went around the stadium named after PM Modi himself before watching the start of the game.
Jaishankar calls on Australian PM
Earlier in the day, external affairs minister S Jaishankar called on Australian Prime Minister Albanese and discussed India-Australia ties.
"Delighted to call on Prime Minister @AlboMP of Australia this morning. His visit and today's Annual Summit will take our ties to a higher level," Jaishankar tweeted.
It is his first visit to India after becoming the prime minister in May last year.
The last visit to India by an Australian prime minister was in 2017.
(With inputs from agencies)