Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he is looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his two-day visit to Australia.
The Australian government in a press release said that PM Modi’s two-day visit to Australia builds on the Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in March and discussions at the G7 Summit and Quad Leaders’ meeting in Hiroshima over the weekend.
“I am honoured to host Prime Minister Modi for an official visit to Australia, after receiving an extremely warm welcome in India earlier this year,” his Australian counterpart Albanese said, according to the release shared by the Australian government.
The government said that Modi and Albanese will discuss matters related to trade and investment and find ways to boost trade between New Delhi and Canberra through a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
The leaders will also focus on boosting people to people links, renewable energy. Measures to bolster defence and security cooperation will also be discussed.
Issues related to maritime security and how to build a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific will also be discussed between both ministers.
“Australia and India share a commitment to a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Together we have an important role to play in supporting this vision,” Albanese said.
The press release also said that PM Modi and Australian business leaders will also meet and discuss ways to drive Australia’s growing trade and investment relationship with India.
Australian business leaders will also discuss how to take forward opportunities from the Australia-India CEO Forum held in Mumbai in March.
Albanese and Modi will also attend a community event in Sydney to celebrate Australia’s dynamic and diverse Indian diaspora which the Australian government described as ‘a core part of our multicultural community’.
“As friends and partners, the relationship between our countries has never been closer. I look forward to celebrating Australia’s vibrant Indian community with Prime Minister Modi in Sydney,” Albanese further added.
This is the first time in almost a decade that PM Modi is visiting Australia. He last visited Australia in 2014.
The Australian government said that Albanese is also looking forward to visiting India in September for the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi.