Amidst the pandemic lockdown and revival of a slow economy, India is moving closer to strengthening its trade ties with Australia. From now on, both nations have decided to elevate their levels of seniority at office when discussing ties ahead. The fact that dialogue will graduate from defense and foreign secretaries to minister level shows India’s seriousness to invest into its relationship with Australia.

Starting off a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the countries are moving ahead on cyber security and trade deals, strengthening ties into Indo-Pacific regional cooperation as well as logistic support for their respective militaries.

Interacting over the virtual conference medium, the Australian counterpart was Scott Morrison, Indian PM Narendra Modi has stressed on many commonalities between the nations, prioritizing the need to stand up against China’s arm twisting trade tactics. He also mentioned how the US walking out on World Health Organisation (WHO) funding is another shocker which the world has to prepare for.

Additionally Modi mentioned how Australia shared the same commitment as India- to use a coordinated and collaborative approach in order to pull the world out of the economic and social hardship that the pandemic had thrown it into.

The Australian PM Morrison had stressed on the fact that in the years to come, India’s already crucial role in the Indo-Pacific region is going to become even more critical. He has further shown the seriousness of Australia to bind with India when he called the both nations sharing a ‘very comfortable’ and a ‘natural’ relationship that is also ‘open,’ ‘inclusive’ and ‘prosperous’.