India-Australia joint working group meeting on counter-terrorism held in Delhi
Subhashis Mittra
Global counter-terrorism challenges and the ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Australia were high on the agenda at their joint working group (JWG) meeting on counter-terrorism in New Delhi in August.
During the meeting, the two countries strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and stressed the need for strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner.
The external affairs ministry said that the two sides condemned the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism. Both sides took the opportunity to exchange views on domestic, regional and global terrorism threat assessments.
The ongoing cooperation in counter-terrorism is an important element of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said.
The discussions hinged on counter-terrorism challenges related to the use of new and emerging technologies by terrorists, misuse of the internet for terrorist purposes, radicalisation and terror financing, and the nexus between organized crime and terrorism, among other issues.
The delegations were led by joint secretary, Counter Terrorism, ministry of external affairs, K.D. Dewal and ambassador for counter terrorism, department of foreign affairs and trade, Australia, Richard Feakes, respectively.
Almost simultaneously, the sixth India-Australia Maritime Security Dialogue was held in Canberra. The Indian side was led by Muanpuii Saiawi, joint secretary, Disarmament & International Security Affairs in the MEA, while the Australian team was led by Sarah Storey, first assistant secretary in the department of defence.
They discussed ways to sustain a safe and secure maritime environment conducive for inclusive growth and global well-being and exchanged views on various topics of mutual interest, including maritime security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, maritime domain awareness, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) coordination, regional and multilateral engagements and sustainable use of marine resources. This included cooperation in search and rescue (SAR), pollution response, blue economy and Port State control. Accordingly, the two sides discussed ways and means of further strengthening bilateral cooperation in these areas. They also deliberated on the way ahead for collaboration in the maritime ecology pillar of the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative (IPOI). The Indian Ocean is central to both countries’ security and prosperity.
Both sides also discussed cooperation in regional, global and multilateral fora such as the United Nations (UN), Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCF), Financial Action Task Force (FATF), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and with Quad partners to combat global terrorism.
The two sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the JWG on counter-terrorism in Canberra on a mutually convenient date, according to the MEA.
It is pertinent to mention that India and Australia are Indo-Pacific partners with a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) that was established in 2020. The CSP is an upgrade from their previous strategic partnership, which was established in 2009. The CSP includes agreements in many areas, especially maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, defence and cyber security.
The India-Australia bilateral relationship is underpinned by shared values of pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth traditions, expanding economic engagement and increasing high level interaction. The long-standing people-to-people ties, ever increasing Indian students coming to Australia for higher education, growing tourism and sporting links, especially cricket and hockey, have played a significant role in further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
In recent years, the India-Australia relationship has charted a whole new trajectory of transformational growth. Bilateral cooperation has seen exponential growth in existing frameworks of cooperation and further expanded across a wide spectrum of new areas opening up new possibilities, both at the bilateral as well as global level.
The historical ties between India and Australia started immediately following European settlement in Australia, from 1788. All trade to and from the penal colony of New South Wales was controlled by the British East India Company through Kolkata. India and Australia established diplomatic relations in the pre-Independence period, with the establishment of the India Trade Office in Sydney in 1941.
Over the years, a slew of institutional mechanisms has been put in place to promote bilateral cooperation. India and Australia also cooperate in various multilateral fora. Australia supports India’s candidature in an expanded UN Security Council. Both India and Australia are members of the Commonwealth, IORA, ASEAN Regional Forum, Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development, International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, and have participated in the East Asia Summits.
In terms of bilateral trade, India is Australia’s sixth largest trading partner. Bilateral trade between India and Australia increased from USD 22.2 billion in 2021 to USD 31.4 billion in 2022, registering a growth of 41 per cent. India’s total exports to Australia grew by 38 per cent from USD 6.3 billion in 2021 to USD 8.7 billion. Similarly, Australia’s exports to India grew by 42 per cent from USD 15.9 billion in 2021 to USD 22.5 billion.
The trade potential is vast between the two countries as 96 per cent of Indian goods exports can now enter Australia duty-free. Likewise, 85 per cent of Australian goods exports can enter India duty-free.
But Australia’s largest trading partner is China. Interestingly, India and Australia are members of the Quad group of nations, which also includes Japan and the United States, to counter China’s rising influence in Asia.
On its part, Australia has placed India at the forefront of its international partnerships. With the relationship elevated to a CSP in 2020, leaders’ meetings are now annual fixtures in the bilateral relationship.
Recently, there have been reports of attacks on Hindu temples in Australia, where Indian immigrants are the second-largest demographic. Around 750,000 people in Australia claim Indian ancestry. Media reports said the attacks were carried out by Sikh separatist groups.