By Online Desk
India and Australia inked several agreements on Wednesday following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney.
PM Modi last visited Australia in November 2014, just months after his government was first elected. Modi, who landed in the island nation on Tuesday, addressed a massive rally at a Sydney stadium which saw over 20,000 people showing up to get a glimpse of the Indian leader.
However, there were also protests from activists who accused the BJP government of cracking down against minorities and press freedom. Protesters held placards outside the Kirribili House where Modi and Albanese held talks.
The bilateral discussions focused on cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, new and renewable energy, green hydrogen, critical minerals, education, migration and mobility and people-to-people ties.
Albanese said, “This is a relationship we need to invest in. Our strong partnership with India will deliver benefits for Australia in trade, investment and business, and in regional security and stability.”
However, the Indian PM also raised the issue of attacks on temples with Albanese, who assured him that authorities would take “strict action” against the culprits.
Notably, both leaders also announced new diplomatic posts in Bengaluru and Brisbane.
The Indian diaspora accounts for 3 per cent of Australia’s population and is the nation’s fastest-growing ethnic minority. Modi described the diaspora as the real strength of growing bilateral ties, while Albanese said, “Australia is a better place because of the contributions of the Indian-Australian community, and we want to see more connections between our countries.”Here are a few key takeaways from the bilateral talks:
Migration agreement
Both leaders announced a migration agreement — the India-Australia Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) aimed at the two-way mobility of citizens from both nations.
The agreement will primarily facilitate the mutual mobility of students, graduates, professionals, researchers, academics and business people, while also enhancing cooperation to prevent irregular migration and people smuggling.
The agreement will also introduce a new skilled pathway called the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early Professional Scheme (MATES) which has been “specifically created for India.”
According to a report by the Australian Financial Review, the MATES will allow as many as 3,000 top graduates and early career professionals, annually, to work and stay in Australia for up to two years. At the end of two years, they will be eligible to apply for a temporary or permanent skilled workers’ visa to extend their stay in the country. The eligible candidates must have expertise in fields such as IT and artificial intelligence, mining, fintech, engineering, agritech and green energy.
The agreement will also permit Indians who complete their education at Australian tertiary institutions — universities, TAFEs and other vocational colleges — to stay in the country for up to eight years to work in their field of study.
Other features of the migration deal include the issuance of three-month visitor visas to Indians for family and business purposes, the granting of business visas for up to five years for Australians to visit India and the creation of five-year student visas for both nations.
Green hydrogen task force
Modi and Albanese also agreed on the terms of reference for a bilateral green hydrogen task force that will promote cooperation on producing the gas without the use of fossil fuels.
Green hydrogen is a clean energy source generated by renewable energy or from low-carbon power. It only emits water vapour and leaves no residue in the air, unlike coal and oil.
The task force will advise on opportunities to accelerate the manufacture and deployment of clean hydrogen, focusing on hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cells as well as supporting infrastructure and standards and regulations.
Albanese said that the task force will help power Australia and India’s industries for the future and help both nations meet their energy targets.
According to the official statement, the task force aims to bring together experts in renewable hydrogen from both nations to explore opportunities for collaboration and cooperation in this area.
It will also provide briefings to the Australian-Indian Ministerial Energy Dialogue and highlight the opportunities and benefits which are there for both nations to cooperate in the area of renewable hydrogen.Free trade agreement
Both leaders reiterated their “shared ambition” for an early conclusion to the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) later this year.
Bilateral trade between the two countries amounts to nearly 27 billion dollars in 2021-22 and is expected to cross 45 to 50 billion dollars by 2035.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday said the next round of talks over the agreement are planned in the month of June.
Albanese, during his visit to India in March, said that the CECA will be a “transformational deal” for the economic relationship, creating new employment opportunities and raising living standards for the people of both Australia and India.
India and Australia had earlier negotiated the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) which came into effect in December 2022.
The ECTA covers all tariff lines dealt in by India and Australia respectively
Under the agreement, India will benefit from preferential market access provided by Australia on 100 per cent of its tariff lines, including all labor-intensive sectors of export interest to India, such as gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, footwear, furniture, food, and agricultural products, engineering products, medical devices and automobiles.
On the other hand, India will be offering preferential access to Australia on over 70 per cent of its tariff lines, including lines of export interest to Australia, which are primarily raw materials and intermediaries such as coal, mineral ores and wines. High tariffs have been reduced on some further agricultural products.
In addition, the deal will provide 96 per cent zero-duty access to India’s exports while Australia will receive 85 per cent zero-duty access for its exports. As of Jan 1, 2026, 100 percent of India’s exports will have zero-duty access while 90 Australia’s exports will receive the same status.
Defence and Indo-Pacific
Modi and Albanese also reiterated their determination to ensure “an open, peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive” Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by a rules-based international order.
Asked if China was part of the talks between PM Modi and the Australian Prime Minister, Kwatra said, “The challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the region were also discussed and how India and Australia, being strategic partners, can work together not just to accentuate and amplify and harness the opportunities but also take active steps to mitigate the challenges that arise in the region.”
US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and PM Modi held a Quad summit meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20 on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Quad countries reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.
In June 2020, India and Australia elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a landmark deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support.
The Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) allows the militaries of the two countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, besides facilitating the scaling up of overall defence cooperation.
They also discussed the need for reform of the UN Security Council — a topic that has often been raised by India. Earlier this week, PM Modi had reiterated the same during his speech on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.
Notably, Modi is the only leader of the Quad nations to continue with his scheduled visit to Australia after US President Joe Biden pulled out of a trip to Sydney, where the Quad leaders summit was originally slated to take place.
Biden chose to return to Washington to focus on America’s debt ceiling talks amid a gridlock with the GOP-led House. Similarly, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who hosted the G7 summit last week, later cancelled his Australia trip as well.
(With additional inputs from AP)
India and Australia inked several agreements on Wednesday following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney.
PM Modi last visited Australia in November 2014, just months after his government was first elected. Modi, who landed in the island nation on Tuesday, addressed a massive rally at a Sydney stadium which saw over 20,000 people showing up to get a glimpse of the Indian leader.
However, there were also protests from activists who accused the BJP government of cracking down against minorities and press freedom. Protesters held placards outside the Kirribili House where Modi and Albanese held talks.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });
The bilateral discussions focused on cooperation in defence and security, trade and investment, new and renewable energy, green hydrogen, critical minerals, education, migration and mobility and people-to-people ties.
Albanese said, “This is a relationship we need to invest in. Our strong partnership with India will deliver benefits for Australia in trade, investment and business, and in regional security and stability.”
However, the Indian PM also raised the issue of attacks on temples with Albanese, who assured him that authorities would take “strict action” against the culprits.
Notably, both leaders also announced new diplomatic posts in Bengaluru and Brisbane.
The Indian diaspora accounts for 3 per cent of Australia’s population and is the nation’s fastest-growing ethnic minority. Modi described the diaspora as the real strength of growing bilateral ties, while Albanese said, “Australia is a better place because of the contributions of the Indian-Australian community, and we want to see more connections between our countries.”
Here are a few key takeaways from the bilateral talks:
Migration agreement
Both leaders announced a migration agreement — the India-Australia Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA) aimed at the two-way mobility of citizens from both nations.
The agreement will primarily facilitate the mutual mobility of students, graduates, professionals, researchers, academics and business people, while also enhancing cooperation to prevent irregular migration and people smuggling.
The agreement will also introduce a new skilled pathway called the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early Professional Scheme (MATES) which has been “specifically created for India.”
According to a report by the Australian Financial Review, the MATES will allow as many as 3,000 top graduates and early career professionals, annually, to work and stay in Australia for up to two years. At the end of two years, they will be eligible to apply for a temporary or permanent skilled workers’ visa to extend their stay in the country. The eligible candidates must have expertise in fields such as IT and artificial intelligence, mining, fintech, engineering, agritech and green energy.
The agreement will also permit Indians who complete their education at Australian tertiary institutions — universities, TAFEs and other vocational colleges — to stay in the country for up to eight years to work in their field of study.
Other features of the migration deal include the issuance of three-month visitor visas to Indians for family and business purposes, the granting of business visas for up to five years for Australians to visit India and the creation of five-year student visas for both nations.
Green hydrogen task force
Modi and Albanese also agreed on the terms of reference for a bilateral green hydrogen task force that will promote cooperation on producing the gas without the use of fossil fuels.
Green hydrogen is a clean energy source generated by renewable energy or from low-carbon power. It only emits water vapour and leaves no residue in the air, unlike coal and oil.
The task force will advise on opportunities to accelerate the manufacture and deployment of clean hydrogen, focusing on hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cells as well as supporting infrastructure and standards and regulations.
Albanese said that the task force will help power Australia and India’s industries for the future and help both nations meet their energy targets.
According to the official statement, the task force aims to bring together experts in renewable hydrogen from both nations to explore opportunities for collaboration and cooperation in this area.
It will also provide briefings to the Australian-Indian Ministerial Energy Dialogue and highlight the opportunities and benefits which are there for both nations to cooperate in the area of renewable hydrogen.Free trade agreement
Both leaders reiterated their “shared ambition” for an early conclusion to the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) later this year.
Bilateral trade between the two countries amounts to nearly 27 billion dollars in 2021-22 and is expected to cross 45 to 50 billion dollars by 2035.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday said the next round of talks over the agreement are planned in the month of June.
Albanese, during his visit to India in March, said that the CECA will be a “transformational deal” for the economic relationship, creating new employment opportunities and raising living standards for the people of both Australia and India.
India and Australia had earlier negotiated the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) which came into effect in December 2022.
The ECTA covers all tariff lines dealt in by India and Australia respectively
Under the agreement, India will benefit from preferential market access provided by Australia on 100 per cent of its tariff lines, including all labor-intensive sectors of export interest to India, such as gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, footwear, furniture, food, and agricultural products, engineering products, medical devices and automobiles.
On the other hand, India will be offering preferential access to Australia on over 70 per cent of its tariff lines, including lines of export interest to Australia, which are primarily raw materials and intermediaries such as coal, mineral ores and wines. High tariffs have been reduced on some further agricultural products.
In addition, the deal will provide 96 per cent zero-duty access to India’s exports while Australia will receive 85 per cent zero-duty access for its exports. As of Jan 1, 2026, 100 percent of India’s exports will have zero-duty access while 90 Australia’s exports will receive the same status.
Defence and Indo-Pacific
Modi and Albanese also reiterated their determination to ensure “an open, peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive” Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by a rules-based international order.
Asked if China was part of the talks between PM Modi and the Australian Prime Minister, Kwatra said, “The challenges to peace, stability and prosperity in the region were also discussed and how India and Australia, being strategic partners, can work together not just to accentuate and amplify and harness the opportunities but also take active steps to mitigate the challenges that arise in the region.”
US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and PM Modi held a Quad summit meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20 on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Quad countries reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.
In June 2020, India and Australia elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a landmark deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support.
The Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) allows the militaries of the two countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, besides facilitating the scaling up of overall defence cooperation.
They also discussed the need for reform of the UN Security Council — a topic that has often been raised by India. Earlier this week, PM Modi had reiterated the same during his speech on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.
Notably, Modi is the only leader of the Quad nations to continue with his scheduled visit to Australia after US President Joe Biden pulled out of a trip to Sydney, where the Quad leaders summit was originally slated to take place.
Biden chose to return to Washington to focus on America’s debt ceiling talks amid a gridlock with the GOP-led House. Similarly, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who hosted the G7 summit last week, later cancelled his Australia trip as well.
(With additional inputs from AP)
