Wants to take relations with Australia to ‘next level’: PM Modi to Australian newspaper

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the Indo-Pacific region faces a number of challenges such as climate change, terrorism, security of sea lanes of communication and piracy, and asserted that India believes they can be addressed only through shared efforts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the Indo-Pacific region faces a number of challenges such as climate change, terrorism, security of sea lanes of communication and piracy, and asserted that India believes they can be addressed only through shared efforts.

In an interview to " The Australian" newspaper, he said he wants to take the relationship with Australia to the "next level", including closer defence and security ties to help ensure an "open and free" Indo-Pacific.

“I am not a person who gets satisfied easily,” he was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

“I have seen that Prime Minister Albanese is the same. I am confident that when we are together again in Sydney, we will get the opportunity to explore how we can take our relations to the next level, identify new areas of complementariness and can expand our co-operation,” he added.

Mr. Modi arrived in Australia on May 22 for the third and final leg of his three-nation tour during which he will hold talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and attend a community event to celebrate the country's dynamic, diverse Indian diaspora.

He said he wants the two countries to push to realise the true potential of closer defence and security ties amid increasing defence links between the two countries recently.

“As two democracies, India and Australia have shared interests in a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. There is alignment of our strategic viewpoints,” he said.