Australian PM hails India ties as Canada tries to woo Five Eyes

Even as it expressed "deep concerns" over allegations levelled by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau against India, Australia continues to display solidarity with India amid expanding bilateral strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific region to hedge China's belligerent moves.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday attended the launch of a book, 'Pivot to India', by ruling Labour Party MP Andrew Charlton at the latter's constituency Parramatta.

"It is all about Australia's ties with India, and how we have deepened our relationship in recent years. You can see that in Quad, our trade relationship and the work we are doing together through G20 on climate change and food security. But most importantly, we see it in our people and communities like the one here in Parramatta," Albanese said.


The timing of the book launch is significant as Canada has been making efforts to influence Australia among other members of Five Eyes - an intelligence alliance comprising the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand - to take a critical view of India.

Tensions between India and Canada escalated after Trudeau recently alleged that Indian agencies could be involved in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist, in Canada.