QUAD has accepted India’s position on Russia: Australia
On Monday, ahead of the virtual summit, Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell said that the QUAD countries have accepted India’s position and that it wasn’t going to affect cooperation among them.
O’Farrell said QUAD had accepted India’s position and that each of the QUAD countries had their own bilateral relationship with Russia and their own perspectives. “We know that PM Modi has called for an end to the conflict and nobody should be unhappy with that,’’ said the High Commissioner.
It is worth noting that while Morrison has threatened China with sanctions for any possible attempt to back Russia, he has been more discreet when faced with queries about India’s position.
When asked about India’s refusal to condemn Russia’s action, Morrison said last month that all countries have different levels of engagement with Russia and he’s respectful of that.
This is significant as both the US and Japan have been asking India to take a more strident position on Russia in the Security Council.
Australia seems to have taken an understanding view of India’s “balanced” position which apparently allows it to reach out to both sides to foster dialogue and diplomacy.
Barry O’Farrell tweeted ahead of the 2nd India-Australia Virtual Summit, “The stage is set for the Annual Leaders’ Meeting between PMs Scott Morrison & Narendra Modi, who have personally overseen the great transformation of our – partnership since the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. #dosti.”
The stage is set for the Annual Leaders’ Meeting between PMs 🇦🇺 @ScottMorrisonMP & 🇮🇳@narendramodi, who have personally overseen the great transformation of our 🇦🇺-🇮🇳 partnership since the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. #dosti https://t.co/J5NhlrlLz3
— Barry O’Farrell AO (@AusHCIndia) March 21, 2022
At the summit, an investment worth Rs.1500 crore, the largest ever by Australia in India, is expected to be announced. This investment is described by a diplomatic source as, in areas like space, clean technology, and also in critical minerals where Australia is looking to challenge China’s control of the international market.
Following the summit, the 2 countries are also expected to sign an early harvest or interim trade agreement by the end of this month. With growing strategic proximity, India and Australia also seem close to clinching the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, which they have been negotiating for the past 12 years, in late 2022.
Morrison was quoted as saying on Friday that the Ukraine situation and its implications for the Indo-Pacific and Myanmar will figure in his talks with Modi. He had said ties with India are based on “mutual understanding and trust, a commitment to democracy, and a shared vision of an open, inclusive, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific”.
[With Inputs from IANS]
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