New Delhi, Nov 22: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Australian counterpart Penny Wong reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, inclusive, prosperous, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region during the 14th Foreign Ministerial Framework Dialogue.
Addressing a joint press conference, Jaishankar highlighted the shared commitment of both countries to build a more trusted, reliable, and resilient supply chain in the Indo-Pacific. The India-Australia strategic partnership is making significant strides, with every facet of the relationship in motion.
“We had a very good discussion covering a large number of subjects,” Jaishankar said, emphasizing that the dialogue included a review of progress on various initiatives, particularly the first annual summit between the Prime Ministers of India and Australia this year.
The ministers discussed close collaboration in trilateral, quadrilateral, and multilateral formats, exchanging perspectives on the Indo-Pacific and West Asia regions, including security issues. They also addressed the current situations in West Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and ASEAN, touching on topics such as terrorism, radicalism, and extremism.
“As liberal democracies and Quad partners, India and Australia will continue to work towards a rules-based international order, supporting freedom of navigation, promoting connectivity, growth, and security for all, while respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states,” Jaishankar affirmed.
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced that Australia would host the Indian Ocean Conference in Perth in February 2024, providing an opportunity to discuss practical solutions for key challenges facing the region. She also revealed an Australia-India Audio Visual Coproduction agreement.
Discussing the complex situation in West Asia, Jaishankar emphasized the need for a political solution and progress toward a two-state solution for Israeli and Palestinian peoples to live in peace and security behind international borders.
The Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue occurred a day after the 2nd India and Australia 2+2 dialogue between defense and foreign ministers, further solidifying the strategic partnership between the two nations.
