Former Australian PM Tony Abbot, who is in India as a Special envoy of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian officials.
Tony Abbot met many Indian officials, including PM Narendra Modi and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, on Thursday. Abbott is visiting India as a Special envoy of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Narendra Modi said on Twitter that he was delighted to meet Mr Abbott, who had received him as a Prime Minister of Australia in 2014.
“Delighted to meet Hon Tony Abbott, Special Envoy of PM Scott Morrison. Had a good conversation on ways to further strengthen our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Also discussed the steps needed to energize our trade and economic relationship and boost people-to-people ties,” tweeted Mr Modi.
Office of the Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goel, said, “Both India & Australia are committed to strengthen their relationship by boosting trade & economic ties.”
Tony Abbot also met Indian business leaders, including Gautam Adani, whose company is developing the controversial Carmichael mine and rail project in Australia.
“While we battle it out in cricket & hockey, our strategic alignment in business and national interests has never been stronger,” tweeted Mr Adani.
General Manager of Newland Group, a corporate advisory firm in Sydney, Natasha Jha Bhaskar, says the focus is on a stronger Post COVID economic recovery strategy, building resilient and secure supply chains.
“Investment and technology are key focus areas of India’s post-COVID economic diplomacy, hence an FTA between India and Australia would be expected to address tariff and non-tariff barriers, customs and enhanced agriculture market access, Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) issues, market access for goods and the movement of professionals, mutual recognition of qualifications, Australia’s investment appetite for India (which I think has the potential to redefine the fate of this relationship) Australia has world’s third-largest pool of investment funds under management,” said Ms Jha Bhaskar.
NRI Affairs News Desk
Image: twitter.com/narendramodi
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