Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, revealed the establishment of a new Australian Consulate General in Bengaluru during a joint press conference held in Sydney. The purpose of this consulate is to facilitate the connection between Australian businesses and India's thriving digital and innovation ecosystem.
Expressing his delight, PM Albanese stated, "I am pleased to announce the opening of a new Australian Consulate General in Bengaluru, which will play a vital role in connecting Australian businesses with India's booming digital and innovation ecosystem. I also welcome India's plans for a consulate general in Brisbane."
The Prime Minister emphasized that the Bengaluru Consulate General will be the fifth diplomatic presence of Australia in India. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his visit and warm reception, looking forward to returning to India in September for the G20 leaders' summit.
The joint press conference covered various topics, including the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on mobility, migration, and a green hydrogen task force. PM Albanese highlighted that this marked his sixth meeting with PM Modi within a year, underscoring the close relationship between the two leaders.
Referring to the Quad Summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, PM Albanese reiterated the shared commitment of Quad leaders to an open, stable, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. He emphasized the importance of respecting sovereignty and maintaining a regional balance that fosters peace.
Reflecting on his visit to India in March for the Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit, PM Albanese emphasized the key pillars of the bilateral relationship, such as trade, investment, defense and security cooperation, climate and energy collaboration, and people-to-people links. He further mentioned that the leaders had built upon these pillars during the current bilateral meeting, expressing their shared ambition for the early conclusion of the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement later this year.
PM Albanese and PM Modi expressed satisfaction at the exchange of the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement, which aims to promote the exchange of students, graduates, researchers, and business professionals, strengthening people-to-people ties and fostering cooperation in preventing people.
Additionally, the Australian Prime Minister highlighted the establishment of a Task Force comprised of experts in renewable hydrogen from both Australia and India. This Task Force will report to the Australian-Indian Ministerial Energy Dialogue, exploring opportunities for cooperation in this critical area.
PM Albanese emphasized that investments like the Task Force would power future industries and enable Australia and India to achieve their energy targets, thereby supporting global emissions reduction efforts. The new Consulate General in Bengaluru and the agreements signed between the two nations signify the commitment to enhance bilateral ties and foster collaboration in various sectors.
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