New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that the 17th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong reflected the 'strength and expanse' of India-Australia ties, highlighting steady progress across economic, strategic and multilateral cooperation.
In a post on X, the EAM said that the talks demonstrated the growing depth and breadth of India-Australia relations across multiple domains, including economic cooperation, energy, defence, science and technology, cyber issues, critical minerals, space and sports.
Referring to broader diplomatic engagement, Jaishankar said both sides also discussed regional and global issues, including the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, and multilateral cooperation.
'Co-chaired a productive 17th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with FM Senator Wong of Australia today evening. Reviewed the steady progress of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This covered economic and energy issues, including renewable & nuclear, defence and maritime security cooperation, science & tech, cyber issues, critical minerals, space and sports. Exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific, the situation in West Asia, and other regional, global & multilateral issues. Our talks demonstrated the strength and expanse of India-Australia ties,' the EAM said in a post on X.
The meeting follows the high-level Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in the nation's capital earlier in the day, which was chaired by the EAM and attended by the Foreign Minister of Australia, the Foreign Minister of Japan, Toshimitsu Motegi, and the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
In his opening remarks at the 17th Framework Dialogue, Jaishankar said Foreign Ministers have the responsibility of overseeing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and noted that the relationship has seen several positive developments over the past year.
He highlighted high-level political engagements between the two sides, noting that the Prime Ministers met in November and the Speaker of the Australian Parliament visited India in January.
'As Foreign Ministers, we have the responsibility of overseeing the workings of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that we have. And in the last year, because the last meeting was a year ago, we've actually seen a number of positive developments,' the EAM said.
'Our somewhat complex ministerial architecture is working, so different ministers and ministries are meeting each other,' he added.
On trade and economic cooperation, Jaishankar said discussions were underway to transition from the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) to a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) to further deepen economic ties.
India and Australia revived CECA talks in 2021, first concluding the ECTA to fast-track trade liberalisation.
The ECTA was signed in April 2022 and came into force in December 2022. Both sides are now negotiating a broader CECA to further deepen economic ties.
On energy cooperation, he said both sides were exploring expansion of energy trade, including uranium supplies, alongside ongoing reforms in India's nuclear sector aimed at boosting nuclear energy capacity.
'Our teams have been in discussion on critical minerals as well,' he added.
The External Affairs Minister also underscored growing cooperation in defence and maritime security, stating that maritime cooperation remained a central pillar of the partnership, alongside ongoing defence exchanges and exercises.
'Our defence exchanges and exercises have again been taking place. Maritime cooperation has been the centrepiece of that,' the EAM said.
'We've had a very good morning today at the Quad meeting. But this evening I'd like to discuss the rest of the world as well. Our neighbourhood, your neighbourhood, the rest of the world
and the trilaterals of which we are both part,' he added.
Jaishankar further noted discussions on space cooperation between the two countries. (ANI)