PM Modi, Australia's Scott Morrison to discuss Ukraine issue during virtual summit

Releasing a statement on Friday, Australian PM Scott Morrison said, "We will also discuss a range of regional and multilateral issues, including the situation in Ukraine and its implications for the Indo-Pacific, and Myanmar.”

File Photo (Reuters)

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison will discuss a range of regional and multilateral issues, including the situation in Ukraine during the second virtual summit on March 21. 

Releasing a statement on Friday (March 18), the Australian prime minister said, "We will also discuss a range of regional and multilateral issues, including the situation in Ukraine and its implications for the Indo-Pacific, and Myanmar.” 

Morrison said that the two countries' strong bilateral relationship is based on mutual understanding and trust. "Australia and India's strong bilateral relationship is based on mutual understanding and trust, a commitment to democracy, and a shared vision of an open, inclusive, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific," he said.

Morrison said the duo will also discuss deepening Australia and India’s trade and investment relationship. "Prime Minister Modi and I will discuss deepening our trade and investment relationship and harnessing new economic opportunities to support our mutual economic recovery and growth,” PTI quoted the Australian PM as saying. 

"Central to these endeavours are strengthened cooperation in defence and security, science and technology, and critical minerals and clean energy," he added. 

The Australian PM  will host Modi at the virtual annual leaders' meeting. "I look forward to reaffirming our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advancing our shared bilateral and regional agenda," Morrison said.

The first virtual summit of June 4, 2020 was historic as the India-Australia relationship was elevated to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'.

Informing about the second virtual meet, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday had said Modi and Morrison are expected to commit to closer bilateral ties in trade, critical minerals, migration and mobility, and education.

"The virtual summit will lay the way forward on new initiatives and enhanced cooperation in a diverse range of sectors between India and Australia," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said.

(With agency inputs)