The second Indo-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue was held at Delhi on Tuesday. Both countries vowed to deepen their economic and security partnership and stressed their commitment to a “free, open inclusive and rules-based” Indo-Pacific.

LEARNING FROM HOME/WITHOUT CLASSES/BASICS

India and Australia co-operate in various multilateral forums. Australia supports India’s candidature in an expanded UN Security Council. Both India and Australia are members of the G-20, Commonwealth, IOR-ARC, ASEAN Regional Forum, and Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development, and have participated in the East Asia Summits.

           Both countries have also been cooperating as members of the Five Interested Parties (FIP) in the WTO context. Australia is an important player in APEC and supports India’s membership in the organisation. In 2008, it became an Observer in SAARC. Both countries are also members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) along with
other group members, Japan and the USA, reiterating their support for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

On 4 June 2020, both countries elevated the bilateral Strategic Partnership concluded in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

                In April 2022 India and Australia inked the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement. Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India, while New Delhi is Canberra’s 9th largest partner. Bilateral trade in goods and services stood at USD 27.5 billion in 2021.