Strengthening Australia India bilateral relations, Australian and Indian Prime Ministers seem to be getting along very well. There seems to be no hesitation – no ice to break between the two leaders or the two nations as both can talk to each other to exchange notes and learn from each other for the benefit of the people of both countries. In the same context, Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday (February 18) afternoon via phone and both leaders discussed a whole lot of issues.
Prime Minister Morrison has publicly touched on elements of his call (yesterday) with PM Modi as Comprehensive Strategic Partners not only in the region but also on a global level. Both leaders discussed:
- working together on common challenges, including
- COVID-19,
- the circular economy,
- oceans and
- an open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Showing India might follow Australia chasing Google and Facebook, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Morrison also discussed progress of Australia’s media platform bill.
And perhaps to rub in, India’s cricket victory also came up during the chat.
Mr Morrison also confirmed that PM Modi renewed his invitation for the PM Morrison to visit India as and when possible.
Answering a question on when we can open up our borders to the rest of the world, Prime Morrison said:
“I think it is a reasonable expectation that as time goes on, as the vaccination rolls out across the world and here in Australia, you should rightly expect that things will change in how we manage the virus”.
When asked specifically about Modi’s support for the Christchurch agreement, Prime Minister Morrison confirmed he had sicussed the issue with Prime Minister Modi “because there’s a lot of interest in it. People are looking at what Australia is doing”.
He said he had “exchanges also with Prime Minister Trudeau, Prime Minister (Boris) Johnson and President Macron as well, “about these things. And we discuss that a lot”.
Prime Minister Morrison does and would constructively engage with world leaders on all important issues.
Vaccination roll out
Prime Minister Morrison said when it comes to managing the virus, as Australia moves through the vaccination process, “we can significantly change how things are done here in Australia”.
For international borders to open like pre-pandemic, Australia has to see vaccination roll outs in other countries and wait for the evidence of management of the virus. Taking one step at a time, Australia is treading carefully to bring back normalcy as quickly as possible.
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