The Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull MP paid official visit to India in April 2017. He met Indian PM Modi and held long-ranging discussions with him.
The Prime Ministers committed to deepening the bilateral defence and security partnership. They welcomed the significant progress achieved through the bilateral Framework for Security Cooperation agreed in 2014. The two countries have achieved a broad-based defence and security partnership, which continues to expand.
The Prime Ministers agreed that the bilateral maritime exercise first held in the Bay of Bengal in 2015 (AUSINDEX) will be repeated off Western Australia in the first half of 2018.
The two Prime Ministers welcomed both countries’ increased engagement with ASEAN, including recent milestones and achievements in their respective relationships, forthcoming Leaders’ Summits in both countries with ASEAN, and noted the growing strategic importance of South-East Asia.
They recognised ongoing cooperation in other regional bodies such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), and the Asia Europe Meeting. Prime Minister Turnbull reiterated Australia’s support for India’s membership of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC).
The two Prime Ministers agreed that energy and resources will continue to remain an important aspect of the bilateral relationship. Opportunities for collaboration will continue to expand as India’s energy mix evolves, including through the Australia India Energy Dialogue.
Prime Minister Turnbull underlined Australia’s position as a reliable and innovative partner in meeting India’s energy security needs. The two Prime Ministers agreed to build on collaboration on a wide range of energy resources.
Prime Minister Turnbull congratulated Prime Minister Modi on his leadership in advancing solar energy globally through the establishment of the International Solar Alliance. Prime Minister Turnbull announced that Australia intends to join the alliance.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the passage of the Civil Nuclear Transfers to India Act through the Australian Parliament and both Prime Ministers anticipated commercial exports of Australian uranium could begin soon, opening up a new avenue for Australia to support Indian electricity generation.
Prime Minister Turnbull briefed Prime Minister Modi on the Australia-India mining partnership at the Indian Institute of Technology-Indian School of Mines (IIT-ISM), Dhanbad. Partnership activities with Australian institutions include research and development collaboration, training and technology transfer.
The Prime Ministers celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Australia India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF). Since its establishment, the two governments have committed over $100 million (Rs 500 crore) to the AISRF and the program has supported some 300 collaborative activities including joint projects, workshops and fellowships.
The following bilateral MOUs were exchanged in the presence of the two Prime Ministers:
i. MoU on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime
ii. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medicine
iii. MoU on Cooperation in Sports
iv. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Environment, Climate and Wildlife
v. MoU for Promotion and Development of Cooperation in Civil Aviation Security
vi. Implementing Arrangements on Cooperation in Space Technology