KOLKATA, 26 September 2023: Australia’s relations with India have recently been rattled by the Canada-India spat over PM Justin Trudeau’s allegation of India’s hand in the killing of Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. India brushed aside the allegation as “absurd and motivated”.
Being a member of the Five Eyes with the US, Canada, UK and New Zealand, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong ” Describing the reports as concerning, said, Australia has raised the issue with India. And, said “…the sovereignty of all countries should be respected, we believe the rule of law should be respected,… the peaceful expression of different views is a key part of Australia’s democracy…”
“The timing of the Kolkata Dialogue couldn’t be more important, said Director, Security and Geopolitics, Australia India Institute at today’s one day Kolkata Dialogue, held jointly by the Australia India Institute and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi based think tank.
“Recent events in Canada are likely to place some real strains on India’s relations with the Five Eyes countries. This creates even greater imperatives for Australia and India to work together in the face of shared threats,” he said.
The Kolkata Dialogue brought together leading experts and government officials from both Australia and India, to discuss ways both nations can leverage their capabilities and experience to help build Indo-Pacific island state resilience and security.
“The risk of Pacific island nations being exploited is real. Australia and India working to support these nations will protect democracies and communities from a range of threats.”
“This Dialogue is just the beginning of finding ways to address threats in our Indo-Pacific region. I want our Institute to be at the forefront of Australia and India’s joint solutions to support these nations,” Australia India Institute chief executive Lisa Singh said.
Obviously, the Kolkata Dialogue aimed to discuss ways to contain China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Robust discussion centred around common challenges and ways to coordinate efforts to help Indo- Pacific island states against a range of threats such as climate change, damaging extraction of resources, economic coercion and disinformation.
Delegates agreed that Australia and India, as two important pillars in the Indo-Pacific geostrategic architecture, are in ideal positions to come together to help the small island developing states with knowledge, technology, and financial mechanisms,” says a media release.
“There is an utmost need to develop resilience of the island states given their climatic and economic vulnerabilities. Global warming and sea level rise, land loss and subsidence, and debt misgovernance are some of these critical challenges faced by the small island developing states,” Dr Nilanjan Ghosh, Creative Director and Co-Founder ORF said.
Dr Constantino Xavier from the Centre for Social and Economic Progress in New Delhi added that “the Kolkata Dialogue reflects growing comfort and mutual trust between India and Australia to discuss economic and security developments in their respective spheres of influence, including sensitive issues like China.”
“As China’s Belt and Road Initiative slows down and its negative consequences become more apparent, Indo-Pacific island countries are looking at India and Australia as alternative development and security partners.
“New Delhi and Canberra may not always agree on the best means, but they now share the same objectives in Indo-Pacific,” Dr Xavier said.
Video- Australia India Institute/YouTube.
