Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop arrives in Delhi

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop arrived in New Delhi this morning on a two-day visit. Her visit is aimed to step up bilateral engagement in a range of key areas including defence, security and trade. 

According to the external affairs ministry, she is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening. Before it, she will also hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar.

Swaraj and Bishop will have extensive deliberations under the foreign ministers' framework dialogue. In the presence of both leaders Australia will sign, the Modi government's key renewable energy initiative,



International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement. During their talks, entire range of bilateral cooperation including the issue of Australian uranium supply to India, will alos be discussed. 

In a statement in Canberra, Bishop said ways to boost defence, security and trade ties will be explored during the visit. She said, both countries will discuss their deepening defence and security relationship, shared interests in a stable Indo-Pacific region and the ways to boost trade and economic ties.

In a statement, Australian High Commissioner in New Delhi Harinder Sidhu said her country was committed to explore ways to further expand bilateral engagement with India.