21 January 2013
AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN INDIA
Australia’s significant relationship with India was further advanced at a meeting today between Australia’s Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid.
Senator Carr is visiting New Delhi for wide-ranging talks including the 8th Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue.
He will also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later today.
Senator Carr said the Australia-India relationship is anchored in shared values and mutual interests which are vital for a genuine strategic partnership.
“Minister Khurshid and I today agreed on actions to give further impetus to initiatives announced by our Prime Ministers last October.
“India is a key part of Australia’s future in the Asian Century and our interests are increasingly converging.
““India is our fourth-largest export market with two-way trade exceeding $18 billion last year and our energy and minerals are helping fuel India’s economic growth.
“We have common views and aspirations on strategic issues including our shared interest in the Indian Ocean and the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region.
“Australia’s Indian community of more than 450,000 people is our fastest growing migrant community and India is our second-largest source of international students.
“India’s energy needs are growing quickly and the country has set a target of 25 per cent of base-load power generation to be nuclear by 2050.
“In discussions today we agreed the first round of negotiations on the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement will be held in New Delhi in March.
“Australian and Indian officials will be working to conclude the agreement which will enable the export of uranium from Australia to India.
“We discussed matters of shared security interest including:
- Support for Afghanistan
- Maritime security in the Indian Ocean
- Joint efforts to combat terrorism
- An agreement to an expanded bilateral dialogue on cyber policy.
“We agreed to work more closely together on strengthening regional and global institutions such as the East Asia Summit and the G20 – in particular in the lead up to Australia’s G20 chairmanship in 2014.
“Today I announce Australia will host the next IOR-ARC Council of Ministers meeting in Perth, Western Australia in November 2013 when we take on the role as Chair after India.
“We discussed further strengthening bilateral investment and trade including the Australian Minister for Trade’s visit to India later this month to advance our Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
“And we continued cooperation on water management.”
“As part of the Australia-India Water Technology Partnership I am pleased to announce the first phase of the $12 million initiative will commence with a pilot of an Australian modelling tool for water management in the Brahmani and Baitarani river basin in eastern India.
“This initiative will also help improve flood warning systems and flood management in the Koshi river basin,” Senator Carr said.
The Ministers confirmed the next round of talks on the Social Security Agreement will take place later this year.
The next round of the Foreign Ministers Framework Dialogue would be held in Australia in 2014.