Photo- PM ScoMo’s Twitter account
By Neeraj Nanda
MELBOURNE, 24 September 2021: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian PM N. Modi met face-to-face in Washington DC a day before the Quad meeting today (24 September 2021). The meeting comes as the rumpus over the AUKUS and the N-submarine deal that has badly strained Australia’s relations with France. In fact, President Macron refused to take Scott Morrison’s phone call and instead the Australian Prime Minister “messaged him in a personal correspondence”.
Australia and India are Quad partners and it remains to be seen what stand India takes over AUKUS, despite Canberra’s warmth towards New Delhi, obviously, related to its strained relations with China.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in a media briefing recently ruled out Japan and India joining the AUKUS. She said, ” No one else will be added to the newly formed AUKUS…”
In a Facebook post, PM ScoMO says, ” Prime Minister Modi and I agreed on some important new initiatives to work on a low emissions partnership that will focus on hydrogen and ultra-low-cost solar programs and to support their energy transition.
Photo- @MEAIndia
We also discussed critical mineral supply chains, advancing trade opportunities between our two countries, our fight against COVID-19, and addressing climate change.”
Later in a media conference, PM ScoMo disclosed, he discussed the recently formed AUKUS, saying, ” Of course, we had the opportunity to discuss the recent announcement on the AUKUS agreement and our program to put in place a nuclear-powered fleet of submarines. Keen interest in that from our partners in India, and well received. And looking forward to see how that continues to progress. Of course, I spoke to Prime Minister Modi the night before we made the announcement in Australia last week.”
About the energy partnership PM Sco Mo answering a journalist’s question, indicated about Hydrogen and supply of Hydrogen and ultra-low-cost Solar to India.
The story will be updated soon.
