Rio de Janeiro, Nov 20: India and Australia on Tuesday officially launched the Renewable Energy Partnership that aims to boost two-way investment in the renewable energy sectors as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.
The two leaders held the second India-Australia Annual Summit on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro during which they reiterated their commitment to further advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in myriad areas such as defence and security, trade and investment, education, skills, sports, space, mobility and people-to-people ties.
Both leaders welcomed the launch of the Renewable Energy Partnership, as agreed during the first India-Australia Annual Summit.
“India and Australia have shared ambition to move faster, work together and deploy our complementary capabilities to drive climate action,” according to a joint statement.
“The prime ministers welcomed the launch of the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership (REP), which would provide the framework for practical cooperation in priority areas such as solar PV, green hydrogen, energy storage, two-way investment in renewable energy projects and allied areas; and upgraded skills training for the renewables workforce of the future,” the joint statement said.
Albanese said, “Our renewable energy partnership is officially launched,” and added that this new partnership would boost two-way investment in renewable energy sectors in things such as solar, green hydrogen and the renewables workforce.
“We are doing so much work together on driving the renewable energy transition to meet our net zero targets,” he said.
“Bilateral ties reaching new heights! Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia held the second India-Australia Annual Summit today, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a post on X.
“Both leaders reiterated their commitment to further advance India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in myriad areas like defence and security, trade and investment, education, skills, sports, space, mobility and people-to-people ties,” it said.
“The leaders welcomed the launch of the Renewable Energy Partnership (REP), as agreed during the 1st India-Australia Annual Summit,” the MEA added.
Both the leaders also “welcomed sustained progress under the defence and security pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They expressed intent to renew and strengthen the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation in 2025, to reflect ambition in both countries’ elevated defence and security partnership and strategic convergence”, according to the joint statement.
They “looked forward to a long-term vision of defence and security collaboration between the two countries to enhance collective strength, contribute to both countries’ security and make an important contribution to regional peace and security”, it said.
Modi and Albanese also welcomed arrangements for “enhancing maritime domain awareness and increased and reciprocal defence information-sharing to deepen operational defence cooperation, address shared concerns and challenges, and work towards an open, inclusive, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific”, the statement said.
“They agreed to develop a joint maritime security collaboration road map. The prime ministers agreed to continue aircraft deployments from each other’s territories to build operational familiarity,” it added.
Regarding regional and multilateral cooperation, both leaders “reiterated their commitment to supporting an open, inclusive, stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific where sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected”.
“The prime ministers underlined the importance of being able to exercise rights and freedoms in all seas and oceans consistent with international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight,” the joint statement said.
Modi said, “We have been working together to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and we will continue to do so.”
“We have stressed dialogue and diplomacy to solve global conflicts and tensions. We also agree on the need to reform international institutions next year,” he added.
Regarding the Indian community in Australia, Modi said, “Prime Minister Albanese has assured me of his commitment to the interests of the Indian community, especially Indian students in Australia.”
There has also been the opening of the new Consulate-General of Australia in Bengaluru and the new Consulate-General of India in Brisbane.
Both leaders welcomed the new openings and “expressed confidence that these will further strengthen trade and investment relations and deepen cultural links”.
According to the High Commission of India in Canberra, according to the 2021 census, about 9,76,000 people in Australia trace their ancestry to India. The Indian diaspora is the second largest and fastest growing in Australia.
Indian students numbering 1,22,391, as on September 2023, form the second largest cohort of foreign-born students in Australia, according to the website.
Modi later said in a post on X, “It’s always wonderful to meet my good friend, Prime Minister Albanese. The talks were extremely fruitful and our focus will remain on futuristic sectors which will further global growth and sustainability.” (PTI)
