In a bid to keep their territories safe, India and Australia on Monday signed an agreement to boost cooperation in counter-terrorism and transnational organised crime and called for strong action against those financing and providing sanctuary to terror groups. Pacts to strengthen cooperation in space, health, and sports were also among the six agreements signed between the two countries following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Premier Malcolm Turnbull.
Modi thanked Australia for joining the solar alliance and welcomed the passage of the Civil Nuclear Transfers to India Act through the Australian Parliament which paves way for commercial exports of Australian uranium to India. Turnbull said he was looking forward to starting the supply at the earliest.
The two PMs jointly inaugurated TERI-DEAKIN Research Centre on Nano and Bio-Technology that will see collaboration between 100 researchers of both countries in developing biofuels, and early detection of crop diseases to improve productivity. Following their talks, Modi took Turnbull for a ride in Delhi Metro and showed him the Akshardham Temple, after some talk about cricket.
“Just last month, we witnessed a thrilling conclusion to the Border-Gavaskar trophy. In my speech at the Australian Parliament in 2014 I had spoken of legendary Bradman and Tendulkar. Today, Virat Kohli in India and Steven Smith in Australia are shaping the young brigades of cricket. I hope your visit to India is as productive as it has been for Steven Smith’s batting, the other Australian Captain,” Modi said during the media statement.
later, Modi again used the cricket analogy and said, “We took a number of forward-looking decisions to further strengthen our partnership, including the decision to soon hold the next round of negotiations on our Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). In a lighter vein I am, of course, glad that our decisions are not subject to the DRS review system.”
In cricketing terms DRS (Decision Review System) is a technology-based mechanism to review controversial umpiring decisions.
The agreement on cooperation in counter-terrorism and transnational organised crime is an overarching security understanding which will allow links between Australian and Indian law enforcement, border and intelligence agencies and allow improving both countries’ ability to address global and regional security threats.
“I hope that our new MoU on Combatting Transnational Organised Crime, including International Terrorism, will continue to strengthen this strategic partnership. It will facilitate closer collaboration on counter-terrorism, cyber-security, people smuggling and human trafficking, money laundering and a tax on critical infrastructure,” Turnbull said.
The two PMs in their joint statement reiterated commitment to combat terrorism while stressing that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever.
“They asserted that the fight against terrorists, terror organisations and networks should also identify, hold accountable and take strong measures again stall those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, and falsely extol their virtues. They emphasised the need for urgent measures to counter and prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism and radicalisation and expressed their determination to take concrete measures to step up cooperation and coordination among the law enforcement, intelligence and security organizations,” the joint statement said.
Modi and Turnbull welcomed the significant progress achieved through the bilateral Framework for Security Cooperation agreed in 2014 and agreed that the bilateral maritime exercise first held in the Bay of Bengal in 2015 (AUSINDEX) will be repeated off Western Australia in the first half of 2018.
Modi and Turnbull also underscored India and Australia’s joint commitment to enhancing regional cooperation in promoting maritime safety and security and welcomed the important role of the bilateral White Shipping Agreement. Referring to maritime issues, both leaders recognised the importance of freedom of navigation and over flight, unimpeded lawful commerce, as well as resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with the international law.
During the talks on economy and trade no breakthrough was achieved on the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) but it was decided that the officials of the two sides will hold an early round of negotiations for the free trade deal.
Turnbull noted Australia’s strong support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, welcomed India’s joining of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and expressed its support for India’s membership of the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement.
In the sports sector, renewal of the Australia-India MOU on Sports Cooperation will see expanding cooperation to include sport sciences, sports governance and integrity, athlete and coach training and grassroots participation.
Already Australian universities are partnering with the Indian Government to establish an Indian National Sports University. PM Turnbull invited elite Indian sports teams to train in Australia ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.