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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is set to visit India on Wednesday for the 16th Australia-India Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue and her 26th meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
During her visit, discussions would take place on cooperation across cyber and strategic technology, trade, maritime security, defence, sport, and people-to-people ties. In her official statement, Wong said, "Australia and India have never been closer and our partnership never more consequential - it is crucial for us and crucial for the region in a sharper and more competitive world." She highlighted that her visit builds on the high momentum of the series of engagements between India and Australia, and "reflects the ongoing work of the Albanese Government to deepen our relationships and strengthen our resilience." Penny Wong noted that the cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership reflects the deepening alignment and shared vision for a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. "I look forward to discussions with my counterpart and friend, Minister for External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar, to set the course for an even more ambitious, future-focused agenda, as our partnership enters its next phase. We will look to enhance our cooperation across cyber and strategic technology, trade, maritime security, defence, sport, and people-to-people ties." The Australian Foreign Minister further noted, "Together, Australia and India are working bilaterally, through the Quad, and through multilateral institutions to advance our collective security and prosperity." The high-level interaction comes shortly after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid a visit to Australia in October. He held delegation-level talks with Wong and had also met Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during his visit, hailing the fillip towards the bilateral relationship. Upon meeting Rajnath Singh, the Australian PM underscored how India and Australia's defence partnership is built on trust, shared interests and a commitment to a peaceful, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. India and Australia inked key defence agreements during the visit of the Defence Minister. Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles has described the newly signed defence agreement with India as a "hugely significant step" in strengthening the operational partnership between the two nations' armed forces. (ANI)
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