Australian PM Sets Virtual Summit With India’s Modi

Australian PM Sets Virtual Summit With India’s Modi
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi walks past Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha (L) and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison (R) during the 14th East Asia Summit in Bangkok on November 4, 2019, on the sidelines of the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images)
AAP
By AAP
6/3/2020
Updated:
6/3/2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and India’s Narendra Modi won’t be able to meet in person due to the COVID-19 restrictions so they are meeting online.

Defence, trade and education will be on the agenda when Prime Minister Scott Morrison holds a virtual summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Thursday.

Morrison said he was looking forward to discussing the countries’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As like-minded democracies and natural strategic partners, Australia and India are in full agreement that our strong bilateral relationship is key to a more open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific,” Morrison said.

“Prime Minister Modi and I will also discuss new opportunities in defence, trade, maritime safety and security, science and technology, and education.”

Both leaders have been invited by U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the next Group of Seven summit to be held in September at Camp David, the president’s country retreat.

India is Australia’s eighth-largest trading partner and fifth-largest export market, due largely to coal and education exports.

It is working on a 15-year Australia Economic Strategy to complement Australia’s India Economic Strategy.