: Early March will see high-profile visits by some Foreign Ministers including those of Australia, US, Russia, China and Japan besides others to take part in the G-20 Foreign Ministers’ conclave in New Delhi. Later, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will hold summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on March 8.
Later, both the leaders will travel to Ahmedabad to witness the fourth cricket test match between Australia and India there. The national capital will also host the Raisina Dialogue from March 2-4 where several foreign dignitaries are expected to take part including Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Moreover, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host a breakfast meeting on March 3 of the foreign ministers of Quad combine. It includes India, Australia, Japan and the US.
Announcing her schedule, Wong said on Monday, “this will be my first visit to India as Foreign Minister, and I look forward to meeting my counterparts at G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi. Australia strongly supports India’s G20 Presidency and welcomes India’s ambitious, action oriented G20 agenda, under the theme ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
She said “I look forward to working with my counterparts on how we can address contemporary international challenges, including strengthening multilateral system, food and energy security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
While in New Delhi, I will also attend the 2023 Raisina Dialogue, India’s premier forum for addressing most challenging issues facing our regional and global community. This year is an important milestone in Australia’s bilateral relationship with India, with many high-level Ministerial visits between our two countries. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell and Minister for Resources Madeleine King will travel to India over the next month, and later this year Australia looks forward to hosting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he attends the Quad Leaders’ meeting,” she said.
Prime Minister Modi is likely to address the foreign ministers of the member countries of G20 and he will talk about India’s growing influence globally. This meeting is one of the biggest events ahead of the final summit which is slated to take place on September 9-10 here when the presidency will be handed over to Brazil.
As regards talks between Modi and his Australian counterpart, both the leaders will review the whole gamut of their ties and discuss ways to enhance strategic relations.
Incidentally, Australia for the first time will host the Malabar series of naval drill off its coast in August comprising the Quad nations including India, US and Japan besides its own navy. India will reportedly deploy its frontline warships and P- 8 I long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft for the annual exercise so far held off Indian coasts and in the Indo=Pacific region since 2009. Australia has also invited for the ‘Talisman Sabre’ tri-Services drill. Several countries including the US are likely to take part in the exercise from July 21 to August four.
