In Parliament, Australia’s Albanese hails ties with India, says ‘will host PM Modi soon’ | WATCH | World

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday praised his country’s relationship with India and said the ties between the two countries have been enhanced by the economic cooperation and trade agreement, adding that these will only deepen in the future.

Speaking in the Parliament, Albanese also recalled his visit to India and said his country will soon host Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said PM Modi’s visit will be made extraordinary by the Indian-Australian community, which has only strengthened Australia’s economy and is enhancing the society there.

“India has the largest population in the world. But it will also grow to be the third-largest over this decade. That is an extraordinary opportunity for us and our region. We are a Pacific nation, but we are also an Indian Ocean nation as well. Our trading relationship has been enhanced by the economic cooperation and trade agreement. We are further drawn together through culture, education and the international language of Cricket,” he said. 

“One of my great honours has been my two visits so far to India as PM… Likewise, I will have the privilege of hosting PM Modi here soon, a privilege I look forward to repeating for the second time. PM Modi’s visit will be made extraordinary by so many of the million-strong Indian-Australian community,” he added.

Albanese’s video of the Parliament was shared by Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, on micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter). He said Australia is looking forward to hosting PM Modi.

“When your Prime Minister @AlboMP speaks with so much conviction & passion about India – the country where you serve as the High Commissioner – it makes your job infinitely more meaningful,” he said.

Before Albanese, Australia Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who was in India for the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday, had also hinted about PM Modi’s likely visit. Speaking to reporters back then, Wong said PM Modi’s upcoming visit would strengthen the ties between Australia and India, as she described New Delhi as Canberra’s key economic and strategic partner.

Later, Wong also met PM Modi and the two leaders held discussions ways to keep the Indo-Pacific “free, open, secure and prosperous”. “We discussed the growing India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in areas such as defence, trade, technology and ensuring supply chain resilience,” PM Modi had posted on X after meeting Wong.

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