PM Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison to hold second India-Australia Virtual Summit today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison will hold the second India-Australia Virtual Summit today. External Affairs Ministry said, the Summit follows the historic first virtual summit which was held on 4th of June in 2020 when India-Australia bilateral relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

During this virtual Summit, the two leaders will take stock of progress made on various initiatives under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Summit will lay the way forward on new initiatives and enhanced cooperation in a diverse range of sectors between India and Australia.

The Leaders are expected to commit to closer cooperation in trade, critical minerals, migration and mobility, and education among others. The leaders are also expected to discuss views on regional and international issues.

This Summit highlights the importance that both countries attach to their bilateral relations as well as their close cooperation in regional and international issues.

The India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has maintained the momentum of an upward trajectory. Both the countries continue to collaborate closely, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, in wide-ranging areas including science and technology, defence, cyber, critical and strategic materials, water resource management as well as public administration and governance.

Sources reports that the India-Australia bilateral relationship has evolved in recent years, developing along a positive track, into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020. Australia's White Paper on Foreign Policy released in November 2017 sees India in the front rank of Australia's international partnerships.

There is strategic convergence with Australia - with a Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, a Technical Agreement on White Shipping Information Exchange, an arrangement concerning mutual logistics support, military exercises like AUSINDEX, and multilateral ones such as Malabar Exercise. Australia is a key partner in the Quad initiative as well as in the Indo-Pacific.

It is also a partner in trilateral constructs like India-Australia-Indonesia and India-Australia-France. Also in ASEAN-led forums. The Indian community in Australia continues to grow in size and importance, with a population of over 7 lakh 21 thousand. India is one of the top sources of skilled immigrants to Australia. There is a constant flow of students and tourists from India.