PM Modi meets Australia PM to discuss cooperation in education, innovation sector

NEW DELHI: Prime minister Narendra Modi met his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on the margins of the G-20 summit here and discussed ways to further cement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with a focus on cooperation in education and innovation sectors.

Both leaders reviewed the progress made in deepening cooperation across a diverse range of sectors, including defence, trade, education, clean energy and people-to-people ties. Institutional partnership betwwen India and Australia in the fields of education, especially in higher education, vocational education, training and capacity building was discussed in detail.

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"Glad to meet PM Albanese. Discussed ways to further cement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with a focus on cooperation in education, innovation and other sectors. We also talked about increasing trade and maritime cooperation. @AlboMP," Modi tweeted. I

In December 2020, India-Australia bilateral ties touched a new high with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signing key agreements, including a landmark pact for reciprocal access to military bases against the backdrop of their frosty relationship with China. India is among Australia's top-tier trading partners, with a two-way trade in goods and services having grown in value from USD 13.6 billion in 2007 to USD 24.3 billion in 2020, according to the Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.