Unlike the Indo-Australian rivalry on the cricket pitch that
made headlines for dubious reasons, the bilateral dialogue between both
countries is now keenly watched for larger strategic implications. Prime
Minister Malcom Turnbull on a four-day state visit to India arrived at New
Delhi on 9th. Indo-Australian common interests are famously
summarized in three aspects-Common wealth, Cricket, and Curry. Besides,
Australia of late has become a very significant partner for India becoming the
second most favorite destination for education after the US. Australia is also
home for a sizeable chunk of influential Indian Diaspora.
Turnbull’s visit comes at a time when India is trying to
change its “geopolitical vocabulary.” India for long preferred to remain a
meek, unassuming regional partner. Despite a scope for expansive engagement in
the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal region, India failed to proactively
capitalize on its unique geographical positioning. Though it ambitiously carved
out various doctrines to build bridges with different nations, concrete actions
to ramp up cooperation were ill coordinated. Rapid geopolitical fluxes and
widening economic global foot print has finally motivated India to realign and
rejuvenate Indo-Pacific cooperation. The idea of deepening cooperation in
Indo-Pacific region has been in vogue for over a decade. But for long Indian
Ocean and Pacific Ocean were considered as two different worlds. The latitude
of maritime cooperation and their larger strategic implications were
undervalued. Modi embraced the lexicon of Indo-Pacific cooperation with new
enthusiasm. Unlike Tony Abbott who pushed for a free trade agreement in 2014,
Malcom Turnbull was not very particular about economic cooperation. Australia wary
of increasingly assertive China and brow-beaten by unpredictable and illogical
American decisions is now keen on heralding a new cooperation with India. Wavered
by the geopolitical jostling, Australia aspires to engage with “liberal-minded
democracies”, preferably India. Countries in the Indo-Pacific region ruffled by
inimitable rise of China are now depending on India to play a role in regional
stability.
Australia enjoys trade surplus with China who over time has
become its mainstay. But denigration of human rights, ruthless rejection of
international tribunal ruling, needless invocation of nationalism by Chinese
students on Australian campuses are becoming bit too much for Australia to
handle. Constant bullying of China through its mouth piece every time Australia
sides with American (which has been its ally since World War II) is stifling
Australia’s prospective engagement with China. Moreover, imposition of trade
sanctions and blocking South Korea from doing business for allowing the
deployment of anti-Missile system THAAD and its failure to curb the nuclear
proliferation activities of North Korea, its closest ally have made Australia
skeptical of China. Incidentally Turnbull’s visit to India comes at a time
India is vigorously pursuing “Act East” Policy and consolidating ties with
partners in Pacific region. Like India, Australia is reeling under the
expansive maritime spread of China. With economic influence China steadily
brought the islands in Oceania under its ambit. Simultaneously through the OBOR,
China expanded its foot print in Indian Ocean and is on verge of establishing
string of pearls. As a result, both India and Australia, are now developing
islands- Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Cocos (Keeling) islands respectively
for strategic purposes.
While Modi and Turnbull’s metro ride and selfie-moment reflected
fledging bonhomie, a photo on the stairs of Akshardham temple neatly summed up
Modi’s compelling soft power articulation. Malcom Turnbull on his first visit
to India met President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and
travelled to Mumbai to meet business delegation. He convened a “strategic
roundtable” with Indian intellectuals- former NSA Shiv Shankar Menon, analyst
Ashok Malik, former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and Pratap Bhanu Mehta,
President of Centre for Policy Research.
India and Australia share many commonalities-both are
democratic, multi-cultural, and secular. Both leaders in the joint statement
reaffirmed faith in the above-mentioned attributes and reiterated importance of
peace, prosperity and security in the region and underscored the importance of
respecting United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Two sides
agreed to deepen bilateral defence and security cooperation; promote maritime
safety and security; counter terrorism cooperation. Both leaders resolved to
strengthen the trilateral cooperation and dialogue among Australia, India, and
Japan; agreed to work together through various multilateral institutions like
G20, EAS (East Asia Summit), IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) and UN.
Australia extended support for India’s permanent membership at expanded UNSC
and APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation).
India, currently the fastest growing economy with a
population of 1.25 billion and growing middle class has a huge potential for
economic growth. Business firms across the world are interested in investing in
India. Australia is also keen on gaining from the burgeoning market size of
India. As of 2015, bilateral trade stands at $20 billion which is far below the
potential. After the breakdown of TPP
(Trans Pacific Partnership), Australia began to bet on RCEP (Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership) which features India. India and Australia
in 2014 set a deadline for ratification of CECA (Comprehensive Economic
Cooperation Agreement) or the Australia-India FTA (Free Trade Agreement)
initiated by Tony Abbott in 2014. But unfortunately, negotiations remained
inconclusive and no progress was made in this direction by Turnbull. India and
Australia signed the civil nuclear agreement in 2014 which came into force in
2015. A Bill on Civil Nuclear Transfers to India was passed by both houses of
Australia in 2016. Turnbull now announced that Uranium will be exported to
India at the earliest. Leaders witnessed exchange of 6 MoU’s. These include
cooperation in combating international terrorism, health and medicine, sports,
environment and climate, civil aviation security and space technology.
The key focus areas of cooperation between both countries
have been-economic, knowledge and strategic partnership. In his current visit,
Turnbull has extensively focused on deepening the strategic partnership and
resisted India’s push to relax immigration norms. Even no fresh impetus was
given to economic cooperation. Australia offered certain trade concessions to
China to promote bilateral trade. India was keen on extracting similar
concessions but offered to give less. Both sides hence failed to reach a
mutually agreeable solution. As of now, Indo-Australian is buttressed by
strategic maritime cooperation.
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