Australian Foreign Minister visits India to widen Indo-Pacific partnership

NEW DELHI: Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne, will visit India on 8 and 9 January to widen bilateral Indo-Pacific partnership across strategic and economic spheres.

Australia’s High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu, alluding to the trip said the visit is an opportunity to reinforce Australia’s commitment to strengthening the partnership.

“Minister Payne is visiting at a time when our relationship has grown to become a significant partnership. Our shared interests range widely across political, security, cultural and economic fields,” Ms Sidhu said.


“This is the strongest the Australia-India relationship has been, and the Minister’s visit presents an important opportunity to deepen our ties.”

Payne will address the Raisina Dialogue on how Australia and India can work together and with regional partners to deliver a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. General Angus Campbell, Chief of the Australian Defence Force, will also participate at Raisina.

The Minister will meet with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss deepening regional engagement and the practical steps Australia is taking in response to the India Economic Strategy.

This will be Minister Payne’s first visit to India as Minister for Foreign Affairs and follows the successful visit to Australia of the President of India His Excellency Ram Nath Kovind in November 2018.