The bilateral held on the sidelines of the East Asia summit between India and Australia firmed up India Australia relations after Prime Minister Tony Abbott has taken over as Prime Minister in the country. Prime Minister Abbott who has stayed in India in the 1980’s has pleasant memories of his stay and is seeking closer strategic engagement with India. Thus apart from early closure of a nuclear cooperation agreement there is likely to be greater defence engagement.
A joint naval exercise is proposed in 2015. Dialogue on various issues pertaining to Asia Pacific region is also likely to be strengthened to include traditional and non-traditional security threats, maritime security and counterterrorism.
Ms. Julia Gillard, Abott’s predecessor was in India from 15th to 17th Octobers. For India Australia’s importance lies as a reliable and proximate base for resources be it in terms of natural such as minerals including coal, gold, copper, diamonds, zinc and Uranium or as a hub for education and skills development for the large number of middle class youth looking for modern facilities at costs lower than Europe or the US.
For Australia India is a good source for driving its commodity and education sectors providing a fillip to the economy. The importance of education in the Indo Australia relations would be evident as the last visit to India of Ms Gillard in September of 2009 was as a Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education.
India and Australia have a MoU in defence cooperation which was concluded in 2006. The defence relationship has been growing with the first Defence Policy Dialogue held in 2010 and the visit of Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith to India in December 2011.
There are preliminary explorations on bilateral naval exercises while Passage Exercises (PASSEX) during naval ship visits to each other's ports is continuing. There are exchanges at the services level but much more could be on offer particularly in the field of maritime security and counter piracy.
The Australian army contingent is deployed in Afghanistan, some sharing of best practices could have been valuable but has not happened so far. India is apprehensive of being caught in a trilateral or multi lateral arrangement with Australia which includes either the US or Japan but a bilateral arrangement should be more than welcome.
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