Canberra, May 28: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed Canberra’s commitment to strengthening ties with India, highlighting growing cooperation in trade, culture, education and people-to-people connections while expressing his eagerness to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Australia.
Addressing the Australian Parliament, Albanese described India as a major economic opportunity, noting that the country is expected to become the world’s third-largest economy this decade.
He said the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) has significantly strengthened bilateral trade, while shared interests and cultural links continue to deepen engagement between the two nations.
“We are a Pacific nation, but we are also an Indian Ocean nation,” Albanese said, underscoring Australia’s strategic and economic alignment with India.
Recalling his first visit to India in 1991, Albanese described the experience as memorable and praised the warmth and diversity of the country. He also confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Australia in the near future, a visit he said he looks forward to hosting again.
The Australian Prime Minister further praised the contribution of the Indian-Australian community, describing it as the country’s fastest-growing migrant community and a key driver of economic and social development.
He noted that the million-strong Indian diaspora has strengthened Australia through entrepreneurship, hard work and community spirit, while also serving as a bridge between the two nations.
Albanese said his government would continue to support and stand by the interests of Indian-Australians, while rejecting attempts to create division and reaffirming the importance of celebrating multicultural contributions.
Echoing the sentiment, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, shared Albanese’s remarks on social media and said he looked forward to welcoming Prime Minister Modi to Australia.
