Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday held a virtual summit with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison,  talks that were marked by implicit understanding by Australia of India's neutral position on the Ukraine war as the two countries sought intensification of their growing strategic and economic ties.  At a media briefing by the Indian side later, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said Morrison expressed his "understanding" of India's position on the crisis in Ukraine, and he and  Modi felt that the conflict should not be a reason for diverting attention from the Indo-Pacific.

"The Quad countries have accepted India's position. We understand that each country has a bilateral relationship and it is clear from the comments of the MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) and Prime Minister Modi himself that he has used his contacts to call for the end of the conflict and no country will be unhappy with that," Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell told reporters a day earlier.

Australian diplomats had been privately unhappy at India's seemingly aloof position on the war, as they did not join the Western chorus of condemnation of Moscow's actions, but publicly Canberra is wary of upsetting New Delhi, given its growing stake in the Indian market, and the prospect of a free trade agreement in the not too distant future, given its soured ties with Beijing that has all but blocked off Australia from its huge market. 

Unlike its Quad partners -- the US, Japan and Australia -- India has not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, remained scrupulously neutral in UN voting on the issue on three occasions and has been maintaining that crisis should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.  There has been increasing uneasiness in the West over India deciding to purchase discounted crude oil from Russia.

Shringla also said that India and Australia were keen to finalise the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as it will unlock new opportunities to expand bilateral trade and investment ties, something that both countries are very to accomplish, especially since India stayed out of the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) of which Australia, China and ASEAN countries are members. 

Modi said that the cooperation between India and Australia was increasing at a rapid pace in areas of critical minerals, water management and renewable energy.

“Our collaboration reflects a commitment to free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Early conclusion of talks for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement is the key for economic ties. In our last virtual summit, we had given our relationship the form of a comprehensive strategic partnership. I am happy we are establishing a mechanism of the annual summit between the two countries,” Modi added.

“This will prepare a structural system for regular review of our relations. In the past few years, our relations have seen remarkable growth. Trade and investment, defence and security, education and innvoation, science and technology — in all these sectors we have very close cooperation,” he said.

Modi, who on Monday inspected as many as 29 antiquities that have been repatriated to India from Australia including those of revered divinities like Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and the Jain tradition, thanked Morrison for his goodwill gesture ahead of the summit. 

“I thank you for the initiative to return the Indian antiquities. Antiquities sent by you include hundreds of years old artefacts and photos that were illegally taken out of Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and other states. On behalf of all Indians, I thank you.”

In his opening remarks, Morrison also referred to the recent meeting of the leaders of the Quad countries on the Ukraine crisis and said it provided an opportunity to discuss the “implications and consequences” of the developments for the Indo-Pacific region.

“Our region is facing increasing change and much pressure and I think our Quad leaders call recently gave us the opportunity to discuss Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine. But it also gave us the opportunity to discuss the implications and consequences of that terrible event for our own region in the Indo-Pacific and the coercion and the issues that we face here,” Morrison added.

Monday’s summit followed the first virtual summit of June 4, 2020, when the India-Australia relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. That was India’s first virtual summit in the middle of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

(SAM)