India committed to expanding its relations with Australia in comprehensive manner: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India is committed to expanding its relations with Australia in a comprehensive and quick manner. In his opening remarks at India Australia Virtual Summit, Mr Modi expressed happiness that bilateral relations are being upgraded to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership level.

Prime Minister Modi said, the role of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will be more important in this period of a global pandemic. The world needs a coordinated and collaborative approach to come out of the economic and social side effects of this pandemic. He said his government has decided to view this crisis as an opportunity and a process of comprehensive reforms has been initiated in almost all spheres. He said it will soon see results at the ground level. The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude for the way Australia has taken care of the Indian community and especially the Indian students during this tough time.

He said India - Australia relations are important not only for the two countries but also for the Indo-Pacific region and the world. He said he is  happy that various institutional dialogues are providing more substance to the bilateral relation. He said trade and investment is increasing but the criteria for the pace of



development in bilateral relations should also be ambitious.

Mr Modi said it is a sacred responsibility to uphold and protect the values of global welfare, such as Democracy, Rule of Law, Freedom, Mutual Respect, and Respect for International Institutions and Transparency. He said these values are being challenged in different ways today and these can be strengthened by strengthening mutual relations.

The Prime Minister said India-Australia relations are wide-ranging and deep and this depth comes from shared values, shared interests, shared geography and shared objectives. In the last few years, cooperation and synergy has gained momentum. He said there are immense possibilities to make this friendship stronger. He also admitted that there are challenges on how to translate this potential into reality so that links between citizens, businesses, academics, and researchers become stronger.

In his remarks, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked Mr Modi for his leadership and for playing a constructive role during the pandemic. He said Australia is committed to an open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific and India's role in the region will be critical in the years ahead.