How evolving India-Australia ties can shape the future of the Indo-Pacific region
India and Australia are examples of important liberal democracies that are shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific region, based on their shared values for rules based on international order and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
With the raging Russia-Ukraine war which is now into its eighth month, the world has been served a reminder of the fragility that exists in the global order and threatens world peace.
We see a similar fragility playing out in the Indo-Pacific region, where Chinese aggression is impacting the littoral nations in the South China Sea as well as the Indian Ocean. There is a need for the world's democracies to come together on a common platform to create conditions which obviate the need for war to settle disputes.
In this context, in recent times, the India-Australia relationship has been one of positive transformations in response to common challenges faced by the region. The countries are two such examples of important liberal democracies that are shaping the future of the Indo-Pacific region, based on their shared values for rules based on international order and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
JAISHANKAR's VISIT TO AUSTRALIA
The relationship has come a long way since the Modi government came to power in 2014. This is the first time that an Indian foreign minister has visited Australia twice in a year. Dr. Jaishankar visited Canberra in February for the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting and during his recent visit to attend the Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue. He met with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, stating India’s priorities as “freedom of navigation in international waters, in promoting connectivity, growth and security for all”.
Minister Wong in her statement reiterated the common interest that the two countries shared in the “region being stable and prosperous and respectful of sovereignty, where countries are not required to choose sides but make their own sovereign choices”.
These statements have set a tone for the future of bilateral relations in this partnership. New Delhi is clearly signalling to the world that stability in the region is a shared vision between the two countries in light of Chinese revisionism. And Canberra, with its lighting up of the old Parliament House to welcome Dr Jaishankar has highlighted the importance of India in this partnership.
Wong further has said that “our partnership is a demonstration that we understand that this period of change is best navigated together”, indicating that the relationship between the two countries is critical to the region being reshaped strategically and economically.
HOW INDIA AUSTRALIA RELATIONSHIP HAS EVOLVED
India and Australia have previously cooperated through the pandemic, with Australia recognising both Indian vaccines—the Indian manufactured Covishield as well as the indigenous Covaxin. Tourism since then has also picked up for Australia, with India being one of its top five markets and Indian arrivals the quickest to recover to pre-Covid levels.
The Economic Cooperation and Trade Deal (ECTA) that was signed between the two countries earlier this year is also a historic one. It is the first such trade deal in over a decade after the one with Japan in 2011.
It aims at doubling the trade between the two countries in the next five years by not only providing supply chain support for critical minerals from Australia to India but also by opening up the vast possibilities in the areas of pharmaceuticals and medicines from India to Australia.
In the field of education, Australia has announced the Maitri scholarships, a USD 11 million scholarship program for Indian students. Partnership on mobility where Indian skills and talents that are in demand in Australia will have a legal framework to aid in the movement of skilled labour from one country to another and mutual recognition of degrees and qualifications promise to be transformational for the bilateral relationship. After all, Indians are the second largest migrant group in Australia and one of the top sources of skilled immigrants.
SECURITY CO-OPERATION A PRIORITY
However, security cooperation still remains the highest priority for both countries. With China’s claim on the disputed South China Sea and aggressive military manoeuvring in the region, both countries realise that their collaboration would be significant to the future of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Courtesy: India Today
