India and Australia to hold first ever virtual summit today

Ahead of the bilateral virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Thursday, the two countries on Wednesday decided to elevate their bilateral relations to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”. It may be recalled that ties between the two nations was first upgraded to a “Strategic

Partnership” over a decade ago in 2009. The “shared approach to a free open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific”, strengthening of bilateral political, defence and economic ties, the responses to the current coronavirus pandemic and the global menace of terrorism are expected to be among the key points of discussion at the virtual summit. This will be the first time ever that an Indian Prime Minister will hold a bilateral virtual summit with a

foreign leader.

On Wednesday, foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Australian high commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell “reviewed progress in bilateral relations in the political, economic and defence domains”. Sources said “a number of MoUs and announcements are being discussed by officials” of the two countries.

It may be recalled that the US, India, Japan and Australia are part of the four-nation “Quad” arrangement that focuses on maintenance of a “rules-based order” in the Indo-Pacific region, something that is seen as significant in the context of China’s increasing military and economic assertiveness in the region. This has also brought India and Australia much closer to each other strategically.

It may also be recalled that the Australian PM has already been engaging with various world leaders on the issue of Australia demanding an international probe into the origins of the coronavirus.