Working with Australia to build a better world

India-Australia relations are underpinned by several commonalities, including our democratic ethos, common values, economies full of strong complementarities and our shared Indo-Pacific region. It is a comfortable and natural partnership where we also see eye to eye and cooperate on most major international issues, be they challenges or opportunities. As Prime Minister Scott Morrison has himself said, “Our cultures might be different, but we believe in similar things. We believe in the supremacy of the ballot-box in our national life; in the rule of law; in institutions that safeguard rights; and the responsibility of free people to build a better world.”

The over 700,000 strong Indian diaspora, growing rapidly, serves as a living bridge between our nations and our people. Besides enriching Australia’s economy and society in multiple ways, they have assimilated seamlessly here. They are law-abiding and deeply respect the Australian way of life even while proudly preserving their Indian roots, traditions and culture.

The Virtual Summit between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Morrison on 4 June, 2020 was historic. Our bilateral relations were elevated to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’’, 11 years after we had forged our ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2009. This is testimony to the steady transformation of our ties over the last decade. The warmth and personal connect between our leadership is noteworthy.

Our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is marked by growing convergence of views on geostrategic and geo-economic issues and a strong desire to work together for a region that is more free, secure and prosperous. Foreign Affairs, Economy and Trade, Defence, Education and a host of other ministries, departments, institutions and organisations on both sides have

Besides enriching Australia’s economy and society in multiple ways, the Indian diaspora has assimilated seamlessly here

stepped up their collaboration and are working together on myriad issues. We have also agreed to elevate our 2+2 Foreign and Defence Secretaries Dialogue to Ministerial level, underlining the positive trajectory of our bilateral relations.

India and Australia engage with each other in various plurilateral and multilateral formats as well. The Quad came of age with the first-ever Quad Leaders’ Summit in March this year. The positive outcome of the Summit, especially in the areas of vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies for the Indo- Pacific underlines our strong commitment, as democratic and like-minded partners, not only for the provision of global commons but also in promoting a free, open, secure, prosperous and inclusive region.

Given the imbalances in global supply chains with regard to critical health, technology, intermediate goods and services, sharply highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic, we have decided to work cooperatively to strengthen and diversify these supply chains. In April this year, Trade Ministers of India, Australia and Japan formally launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative. India and Australia are also working bilaterally on the supply chain diversification of critical and strategic minerals and metals.

Our bilateral trade and investment remains significantly below its potential. We are jointly committed to improving this for the mutual benefit of both economies. We have reengaged on negotiating a fruitful and enduring Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement since it is time to take our economic and trade relations to a much higher growth trajectory. Recent World Bank and IMF projections that India will be the fastest-growing major economy in 2021 and 2022 should be exciting news for Australian businesses.

India is today also one of the most attractive destinations for Foreign Direct Investment. We have ushered in simplification and reduction of taxes, new labour laws, Production Linked Incentive schemes in exciting manufacturing sectors and empowered institutional arrangements to hand-hold new investors. Infrastructure stands vastly improved and supply logistics and transportation speeds are now among the best in the world. The stock market is booming and setting new records. It is not surprising, therefore, that FDI into India did not decrease in 2020 despite the pandemic.

This open and globalised market of over 1.3 billion, together with the new ease of doing business has opened up vast opportunities including for Australian investors. Make in India, for India and for the world.

The number of Indian students coming to Australia has steadily increased and there are well over 100,000 now, making Australia the second-largest foreign destination for Indian students and of huge benefit to Australia in multiple ways. I hope that an early solution is found to bring back those of these students who have found themselves unable to return to Australia since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As we enter India’s 75th year of independence, every Indian can justifiably take pride in the growth and success of India in diverse domains since 1947. I look forward to celebrating India@75 with all Indians and friends of India in Australia.

His Excellency Manpreet Vohra is a career diplomat and currently the Indian High Commissioner to Australia

By His Excellency Manpreet Vohra