We are very interested in joining Exercise Malabar: Julie Bishop

We are very interested in joining Exercise Malabar: Julie Bishop

News:

1. Ms Julie Bishop, Australian foreign affair minister, talk about the deepening economic and strategic relation between India and Australia.

Important facts:

2. Australia Foreign Affair minister insisted to achieve an open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region in which the rights of all states are respected.
3. Indo-Pacific embraces India and the nations of the Asia Pacific not just geographic description but the strategic and economic dynamics of our broader region.
4. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

• The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is an informal strategic dialogue between the United States, Japan, Australia and India that is maintained by talks between member countries.
• It is a natural extension of these mini-lateral relationships and one of important subgroupings in the Indo-Pacific. It will allow our four nations (Japan, Australia, India and US) to discuss all matters of common interest.
• Australia already has a trilateral strategic dialogue with the U.S. and Japan
• Australia will engage with partners to shape region at a time of geostrategic and technological and economic change.
• Australia pulled out of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue years ago. The Labour government that pulled out because of apprehensions over how this might play out with Australia’s economic relationship with China.
• Australian government said that they undermine the importance of India and said that India has significant strategic partner for Australia and share converging interests, particularly in the Indian Ocean.

5. Australian government has pointed out that relationship with India is at stronger pace based on these key pillars:

• Security cooperation
• Economic engagement
• People-to-people links

6. India and Australia government has expanded greatly in the field of security and defense relationship.
7. Australia government has joint exercises across all three services and we’ve most certainly got a shared interest in maritime security, upholding international law, regional stability and countering violent extremism.
8. India is becoming increasingly integrated with the economies of East Asia and North Asia.
9. Malabar naval exercises

• Malabar is a bilateral exercise between India and the U.S., and Japan where Australia wasn’t invited to join the exercise.
• Austria minister said that they possess interest in joining Exercise Malabar but was not giving priority to the deepening of our bilateral exercises.
• She said Australia and India are natural defense partners. Both the country conducted the second iteration of the bilateral navy exercise AUSINDEX in June 2017.
• AUSINDEX is a bilateral exercise aims to enhance interoperability and professional interaction between Australia and India for strengthening defense cooperation between both countries.
• Australia and India also maintain a regular programme of dialogue and reciprocal ship visits.
• Australia has envisaged its engagement with Asia as ASEAN’s which is central to regional architecture.

10. The U.S. has been the dominant power in Australia but in current scenario the relative strategic weight of China and other regional powers, including India, is growing in the region.
11. The national security statement of recent times speaks about the Indo-Pacific as an area of significant priority for U.S. foreign policy.
12. India Economic Strategy

• India is already seventh largest trading partner in terms of two-way trade.
• Australia has focused on ensuring India as a priority economic partner.

13. Strategy of India Economic Strategy include:

• Identifying practical measures
• Deepening trade and investment ties
• Building on similarities between our economies
• Providing a roadmap to cement Australia as a priority economic partner for India out to 2035.
• India Economic Strategy will have a discussion between prime minister and the National Security Committee to give it a final shape.

14. Education

• Australia has emerged as a major destination for Indian students. But majority of Indian students who arrive have opted to getting employed there as they finish their course.
• This reflects the employment opportunities that Australia has offer.
• Australia has provided a flagship programme called New Colombo Plan to supporting more Australian students to study abroad this is much more two-way exchange than there has been in the past.

15. Scholarship scheme

• The New Colombo Plan is providing opportunities for Australian undergraduates to undertake part of their study in a country in our region.
• Forty locations have partnered with Australia on the New Colombo Plan and so Australian students have this opportunity to live, study and undertake internships.
• It will give them an unparalleled opportunity to understand the region in which we live, become more aware of the culture, political, economic, social side of the countries in the Indo-Pacific and enable them to create networks and lifetime connections

16. India-Australia nuclear agreement

• Australia is an important partner to supply uranium to India. The first sample for testing took place in July 2017.
• Australia has a framework for uranium producers to engage with Indian uranium customers.
• Australian government remains prepared to support commercial shipment to India.
• When U.S. pull out deal from the Iran, Australia has recognized that it’s by no means a perfect agreement but in the absence of a viable alternative, they have supported the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

17. Paris-Delhi-Canberra axis

• France has called for the creation of a new strategic alliance among France, India and Australia to respond to challenges in the Asia-Pacific region and the growing assertiveness of China.
• France had talked about a Paris-Delhi-Canberra axis, as a regional structure. In regards to this the Australian government forecasted a positive response to it.
• France has interests in both the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
• Australia and India have complementary interests in the Indian Ocean.
• Australia is considered its cooperation through the Indian Ocean Rim Association, where Australia and India are members and France is a dialogue partner
• France have mooted for the idea of a three-way partnership which include Australia, India and France in relation to the Indian Ocean.