Indian and Australian High Commissions in London host inaugural Indo-Pacific conference

India, Australia, U.K. co-hosted 1st Indo-Pacific Conf. in London to address security issues, build resilience & enhance stability. High Commissions of India & Australia welcomed U.K.'s interest in the region. India's High Commissioner rejected allegations of govt. killing separatists & U.S. prosecutors unveiled charges against Indian national in attempted murder-for-hire case. High Commissioner & Australian High Commissioner agreed to allow investigation results to be brought forward.

The Indian and Australian High Commissions in the U.K. co-hosted the inaugural Indo-Pacific Conference in London on November 30. The day-long event brought together diplomats and stakeholders from think-tanks, civil-society and the business world to look at how the two countries, along with the U.K., could work together to address security issues in the region, build resilience and enhance stability.

“The abiding commitment of India and Australia to promoting a vision of a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific is reflected in the strength of our bilateral partnership. Our views are increasingly reflected by other key partners, with whom we work bilaterally and in plurilateral format, such as the US, Japan, ASEAN, and Korea, “ India’s High Commissioner to the U.K., Vikram Doraiswami said.

“We welcome in this regard increased interest in the UK, as part of its Global Britain policy, to work with countries such as India and Australia, in support of this objective,” he added.

“As three close partners, we all have a role to play in the Indo-Pacific and to work more closely together to support a secure, resilient, and prosperous region,” Australian High Commissioner Stephen Smith said.

The conference organisers also included Kings College, London, and the Council of Geostrategy, a think-tank.

Prompted by a question, Mr. Doraiswami defended India’s reliability as a security partner in light of the allegations that the government was killing separatists in allied countries. The High Commissioner rejected the allegation.

“I dispute that point, first of all, that...the government that has anything to do with it,” he said, pointing to the on-going investigation.