External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held discussions with her Australian counterpart Julie Bishop on a wide range of issues on Tuesday. Bishop also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefed him on the progress in bilateral relations since the visit of PM Malcolm Turnbull to India in April 2017.
Ministry of External Affairs officials said Modi warmly recalled the successful visit of Turnbull to India in April 2017, and said that the bilateral relationship has deepened a lot since his own visit to Australia in 2014. PM and Bishop also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest.
“Visitor from an important strategic partner. PM @narendramodi receives @JulieBishopMP Foreign Minister of Australia,” MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said on Twitter.
Bishop on Tuesday singed framework agreement to join the International Solar Alliance. Modi welcomed Australia's joining of the ISA, and said that Australia's membership will provide a great boost to the Alliance.
Bishop also held meeting with union Defense and Finance minister Arun Jaitley. “Had very productive meeting with them. These meetings added to already deep and growing friendship between India and Australia,” Bishop said.
later speaking at the Indo-Pacific Oration, Bishop was rather blunt on the Chinese aspiration of expansionism saying Australia continues to oppose the construction of artificial reefs in the South China Sea.