New Delhi: India and Australia on Saturday, Sept 11, expressed concern on the absence of "inclusiveness" of the new Taliban dispensation in Afghanistan and also on matters such as treatment of women and minorities and matters related to travel of Afghans.
"It is an evolving situation (in Afghanistan). I think it was a good exchange of notes," External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar told reporters in presence of Australian Foreign Marise Payne and two Defence Ministers Peter Dutton and Rajnath Singh.
All the four ministers held the first 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi.
During the deliberations, it was discussed that Afghanistan must not allow its soil to be used in "any manner by anybody for terrorism".
Dr Jaishankar said: "But apart from that there were issues of concern about the inclusiveness of the dispensation, concerns about treatment of women and minorities, matters related to travel of Afghans issues regarding humanitarian assistance".
Australian Foreign Minister Ms Payne said: "We do share very strong interests in ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for the breeding or the training of terrorists. That is an abiding concern".
"For Australia's part, we are also very focused on seeking safe passage for those in Afghanistan, citizens, foreign nationals, visa holders of other countries who seek to leave Afghanistan, and we have urged that they be allowed to leave safely".
Defence Minister Ranath Singh said India has "invited" Australian industry to take advantage of India's liberalized foreign direct investment policies. "We are fully committed to building a strong partnership with Australia for the security and development of the entire region," he said.
Echoing similar sentiment, Australian Defence Minister Dutton said both the countries are dedicated to making sure that peace continues in the region. ".... and then our countries can continue to thrive and prosper," he said.
During the discussions both sides emphasised the need to ensure free flow of trade, adherence to international rules and norms and sustainable economic growth in the entire region.
Dutton also said, "We both depend on free and open access to sea lanes in the Indo Pacific for our trade and economic well being".
Students' Visa:
India also urged Australia to sympathetically address the difficulties being faced by Indian students due to the travel restrictions put in place in view of the COVID-19.
Ms Payne said, there are over 60,000 Indian students now in Australia.
But, she hastened to add: "I do definitely understand the desire that those students and their families who are not able to be there have that desire they have for the on campus experience".
But she said Covid norms have to be followed. "In fact, for ministers, like Minister Dutton and I, we are required to comply with the same sort of quarantine restrictions, and health requirements as all incoming travelers as you would expect. So our approach in Australia has been based on research".
Dr Jaishankar said that the Modi government has taken up the issue of problems being faced by students due to travel restrictions not just with Australia but with other countries like the US and Canada.
He said matters concerning students gets "very high priority" with the government and thus it has take up "very, very vigorously" the issues with foreign partners.
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On 9/11 anniversary, India bats for 'combating terror without compromise'
New Delhi:
Holding the first 2+2 meet with Australia on September 11, Saturday, was definitely a diplomatic milestone in the India-Australia bilateral relationship.
In a press statement at the end of the meeting attended by Marise Payne, Foreign Minister and Peter Dutton, Defence Minister of Australia besides Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said, "Today is the 20th anniversary of 9/11. It is a reminder- if one is still needed- of the importance of combating terrorism without compromise".
He also said: "Close as we are to its epicenter, let us appreciate the value of international cooperation" - making India's missive pretty clear.
Of course the parleys between two sides came in the backdrop of an unsettling phase of geopolitical turmoil in the region.
Dr Jaishankar also tweeted to say that the deliberations were "productive". India-Australia relations have experienced unprecedented momentum in the last seven years, he said.
"The 2+2 Dialogue reflects the comfort that we have attained in our bilateral relationship, especially in strategic and security spheres, based on the growing convergence with Australia on security issues and our shared commitment for a free, open, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific region," Dr Jaishankar said.
Australian foreign minister Ms Payne said, “Australia and India share a positive vision of a free, open, secure, inclusive Indo-Pacific… We have shared views on challenges of the South China Sea and East China Sea.”
Notably, other than India and Australia, the Quad comprises the US and Japan.
Sources say Australia has been always concerned about China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, including its new law forcing foreign vessels to submit to Chinese supervision in its “territorial waters”.
The two countries have also been keen to ink a trade deal but issues of high tariffs, especially on agricultural products, have proved to be a sticking point.
Acknowledging that terrorism is a major threat, Australian Defence Minister Dutton said: “Australia-India defence relationship is at a historic high”.
He held a separate round of talks with Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on Friday.
As the four Ministers came together for the first time on Saturday, both sides discussed experiences and further collaboration in responding to the COVID 19 challenges.
Decentralized globalization, strategic autonomy and a sharper sense of national security are some of the relevant outcomes. "We also underlined our commitments to creating secure and resilient global supply chains. We welcomed the renewed vigour with which both sides are now engaging on trade issues to fully expedite the complementarities between us," Dr Jaishankar said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, both the countries have common interest in the region.
"We have discussed various institutional frameworks for wide ranging collaboration including defence cooperation and fight against global pandemic. We exchanged views on Afghanistan, Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific, cooperation in multilateral formats and other related topics" Rajnath Singh said.
Both the countries emphasised on their shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, and also the importance of combating terrorism.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said addressing a virtual meeting at Ahmedabad that, "We have to remember the lessons taught by such terror attacks and simultaneously strive to implement human values that India represents".
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in an address at the Observer Research Foundation, that there were "significant challenges" facing the Indo-Pacific.
Her comments are seen as an oblique reference to China. "We commend India for taking a strong leadership role in the region," she said.
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