"PM Modi's visit connected with important partners, finalised agreements": Former FS Harsh Shringla

Shringla, in a conversation with ANI, said that maritime and defence security is the most important aspect of the visit.

"When we look at Prime Minister Modi's tour of Indonesia and Australia, we should see it along with the Japanese Prime Minister's recent tour to India. In defense and security, we have connected with three very important partners at the highest levels and finalized a lot of agreements," he said.

"If you see with Japan, maritime security and defense was a very important part of this tour. Between India and Japan, a maritime security and defense agreement was reached. With Indonesia, it was a similar strategy, where the cooperation between India and Indonesia will increase in these areas. I think we have taken a very important step forward," he added.

Shringla further said that in the Australia visit that has just concluded, a joint defense agreement has been finalized, which will increase cooperation in the naval area for both sides.

"Regarding Australia, in the tour that has just concluded, a joint defense agreement has been finalized, which will increase cooperation in the naval area for both sides. Interoperability will increase, our training and joint exercises will increase, and there are many other areas where we both--Australia, Indonesia, and Japan--can move forward in the entire field of defense and security," he said.

Shringla said that the Uranium deal has also been finalised during PM Modi's visit to Australia.

"Regarding the uranium deal, the opposition, especially the Congress, says this was done in 2011 and this is not a "Modi breakthrough." The India-Australia nuclear agreement was made in 2011, but after that, there was no progress. It remained right where it was. Now we have seen that during Prime Minister Modi's Australia tour, it has been finalized that we can get uranium from Australia. The deal has been operationalized and the issues that were stuck in the middle, the deal-breakers, have all been removed," he said.

He further said that for the first time, uranium will start coming to India from Australia, which is a very big deal because India has been trying for many years for this.

"I think the agreement that was concluded at that time has been successfully finalized today, and for the first time, uranium will start coming to India from Australia. This is a very big thing because we have been trying for many years. Since 2014, relations with Australia have grown a lot in defense, security, natural resources, coal, and so on. Now, uranium has become a big component which is very important for our strategic security. We want our nuclear energy program to reach 100GW by 2047. Now it is 8GW, so we want to increase it exponentially. For this, we need uranium. We get it from some countries, but we face some difficulties in accessing it. So the deal with Australia is a very big deal, and it is because of Prime Minister Modi's tour and his good relations with Prime Minister Albanese that this deal is successful," he said.

The former foreign secretary said that from the point of view of the Quad, this was a good step, as Japan and Australia are partners in the group.

"From the point of view of the Quad, this was a good step because the Quad has four partners. Recently, there was a meeting at the Foreign Minister level. With our two partners, Japan and Australia, our cooperation in defense, security, and other things is growing very fast. The US will certainly be included later, but with Japan and Australia, we are moving forward. If you add Indonesia to this, we have a big defense and security arc with these three, which is a very important part of the Eastern Indian Ocean region and our Indo-Pacific, Act East, and SAGAR policies. We have been very successful in our efforts to move forward in this," he said.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi landed in Auckland. Upon his arrival, he was greeted by New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. The two leaders shared a warm embrace. (ANI)