INDIA – AUSTRALIA RELATIONS

India and Australia have several commonalities, which serve as a foundation for closer
cooperation and multifaceted interaction, on lines similar to what India has developed with
other Western countries. Both are strong, vibrant, secular and multicultural democracies.
They both have a free press and an independent judicial system; the English language is an
important link. Cricket, and now the large numbers of Indian students coming to Australia
for education, are significant elements in awareness at the popular level.
Despite the intersecting commonalities, India and Australia have only in recent years been
able to significantly enhance the relationship, reflected in the decision taken in November
2009 during PM Rudd’s visit to India, to take it to the level of a strategic partnership.
Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green
Indian High Commissioner to Australia Manpreet Vohra
Shri Gopal Baglay, presently High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, has been appointed as
the next High Commissioner of India to Australia. Baglay will succeed Manpreet Vohra as
Indian High Commissioner to Australia.
In 1950, Menzies became the first Australian Prime Minister to visit India, where he met
with the Governor-General Chakravarti Rajagopalachari and Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru.
The Sydney Hilton Hotel bombing, a botched attempt to allegedly assassinate the Indian
prime minister Morarji Desai at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1978
received significant attention at the time.
Recent visits by Indian and Australian prime ministers, such as Tony Abbott's visit in 2014,
and later the same year Narendra Modi's visit to Australia - the latter being the first by an
Indian prime minister in 28 years (Rajiv Gandhi), and Malcolm Turnbull's visit in 2017 have
continued to progress the relationship.
In March 2022, Australia returned 29 antiquities to India, as part of India's efforts to reclaim
its cultural heritage from around the world. The artifacts date back to various time periods,
and primarily include sculptures and paintings composed of sandstone, marble, bronze,
brass and paper.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese visited India in March 2023, making him the
first Australian prime minister to visit the country since 2017. Prime minister Modi visited
Australia in May 2023.
- Ratan Tata has been awarded with the highest civil honour of Australia, Order of
Australia (AO).
- He has been awarded for his longstanding commitment to Indo-Australian ties
specifically in the areas of trade, investment, and philanthropy.
- World's Wealthiest Cities Report 2023 released -Published by Henley & Partners
and New World Wealth. New York City has emerged as the wealthiest city in the
world, with 340,000 resident millionaires. Tokyo ranked second, followed by The Bay
Area, London, and Singapore. Country-wise, US has topped the list with 10 out of the
top 50 cities in the world wealthy cities, followed by China, and Australia.

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- Cyclone Ilsa: Powerful storm hits Western Australia
- Max Verstappen wins 2023 Australian Grand Prix - Formula One (F1) World Champion
Max Verstappen [Red Bull – Netherlands] has won the 2023 Australian Grand Prix

- To honour Sachin Tendulkar on his 50th birthday, the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground
in Australia has unveiled a gate named after him. Along with him, the SCG also
unveiled a gate and named it after another cricketing legend Brian Lara, who will be
sharing the honour with Sachin Tendulkar.
- Indian submarine INS Vagir completes historic 7,000 km deployment to Australia
Indian Navy’s fifth Kalvari class submarine, INS Vagir has successfully completed its longest
deployment ever by covering a remarkable distance of nearly 7,000 km to reach Australia. This
deployment, which begins in June 2023, is a significant achievement for the Indian Navy. INS
Vagir will participate in various exercises with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) units on the West
Coast of Australia. On the East coast of Australia, Indian Naval ships and aircraft participated in
Exercise AUSINDEX 23 from 22- 24 Aug 2023. Also known as Sand Shark, the submarine was
delivered to the Indian Navy in December 2022. Vagir is a Kalvari-class submarine, which
includes six submarines developed under Project 75. Four of these submarines have already
been commissioned into the Navy viz. NS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj and INS Vela. The
sixth, INS Vagsheer, will be commissioned in the early 2024. Built By: the Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in collaboration with the French M/s Naval Group. Origin of Name:
From Vagir, a submarine which served the Navy between 1973 and 2001.
- Spain beat England and won first FIFA Women's World Cup
Spain secured their first FIFA Women's World Cup title 2023 by defeating England in Sydney.
Most successful team: United States (4 titles). The competition has been held every four
years and one year after the men's FIFA World Cup since 1991. The 2023 competition was
hosted by Australia and New Zealand, making it the first edition to be held in the Southern
Hemisphere, the first Women's World Cup to be hosted by two countries
- H.S. Prannoy won Silver medal in Australian Open Super 500 badminton 2023
The ninth-ranked Indian shuttler HS Prannoy won silver at the Australian Open Badminton
2023 final in Sydney. He lost to China
- Indian men's hockey team Chief Coach Graham Reid resigns
The Australian coach submitted his resignation to Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey a day
after the World Cup concluded in Bhubaneswar, where Germany emerged as champions
after beating Belgium in a penalty shoot-out. Reid, who was appointed India's coach in April
2019, led the team to a historic bronze medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Under his
leadership, the Indian men's hockey team won the silver medal in the Commonwealth
Games 2022 held in Birmingham and India finished third in the FIH Pro League 2021-22.
- Countries with the largest reserves: Chile > Australia > Argentina
- Australia removes British Monarchy from its banknotes
The Reserve Bank of Australia has announced that it will remove the portrait of the British
monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II from its A$5 banknotes. The new currency notes of the $5
would feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles III. The other side
of the note will continue to feature the Australian Parliament.
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- Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open 2023 title
Novak Djokovic (Serbia) won the Australian Open title for the 10th time by defeating
Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first Grand Slam Australia Open of 2023. He has so far won 22
Grand Slam titles: 10 Australian Open titles in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019,
2020, 2021 and 2023. 2 French Open in 2016 and 2021, 7 Wimbledon - 2011, 2014, 2015,
2018, 2019, 2021, 2022. 3 US Open in 2011, 2015, 2018. Australian Open 2023 Women's
singles winner Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.
Sabalenka has won a Grand title for the first time.
- Sri Lankan-born Australian author Shankari Chandran has been awarded the
prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Prize in 2023 for the novel "Tea Time at
Cinnamon Gardens”
- 10th edition of 'Talisman Sabre' military exercise held in Australia
10th edition of Massive 'Talisman Sabre' military exercise, a multilateral biennial exercise
predominantly involving Australia and the United States (US), was held at HMAS Canberra in
Townsville with 11 partner nations. 'Talisman Sabre is the largest military exercise of its
kind, with over 30,000 military personnel participating.
Germany took in the 'Talisman Sabre' exercise for the first time, adding to the international
collaboration. India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand participated as observers.
- The 'Bharat Mandapam' has a combined seating capacity of 7,000 people, which is
more than the seating capacity of the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
- DD Sports secures Television rights for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
- DD Sports secures broadcasting right for 9th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The tournament, starting on July 20, 2023, will mark the inaugural occasion when
the World Cup is co-hosted by two countries, namely Australia and New Zealand. DD
Sports was launched on 18 March 1998. The tournament, held every four years and
one year after the men's World Cup, was first played in 1991 in China, and has since
been expanded to 32 teams following the 2023 edition.
- Australia became the first team to win all ICC titles (Test, T20, And ODI) formats
- The Artemis Accords was signed on October 13, 2020 by eight founder nations-
Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, UAE, UK and the United States.
- Cyclone Freddy:
Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the coast of Southern Africa, bringing its total death toll to more
than 220 people in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar. It originated off the northern
coast of Australia. It crossed the entire South Indian Ocean and traveled more than 8,000
kilometers. Freddy was the first tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere to undergo six
separate rounds of rapid intensification. It also holds the record for all-time accumulated
cyclone energy (ACE) (storm strength during its lifetime) for the Southern Hemisphere.
- AUKUS Meet 2023:
Australia, United States, and United Kingdom (AUKUS) Alliance is a trilateral security
partnership for the Indo-Pacific, between Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS). It is based
on a shared commitment of its three members to deepen diplomatic, security, and defense
cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is all set to get its own nuclear-powered

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submarine. The plan was finalised after a year and a half of negotiations with the United
States and the United Kingdom. Under the defence deal, America and Britain will help
Australia deploy nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific region. A future generation of
submarines will be built in the U.K. and in Australia with U.S. technology and support.
Known as “SSN-AUKUS” after the strategic partnership among the three countries, they will
be built and used by both the U.K. and Australia.
- Australia beat South Africa to lift ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy 2023
Australian women’s cricket team defeated South Africa by 9 runs to lift the ICC T20 World
Cup Trophy 2023 at Newlands, Cricket Ground in Cape Town, South Africa. Australian
women’s cricket team has won this title for the sixth time. The Indian women's team lost to
the Australian team in the semi-final match. Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner - ICC Player of the
Tournament. Beth Mooney - Player of the Match
- India to host Quad summit in 2024
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), commonly known as the Quad, is a strategic
security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States of America. It aims
to help countries mitigate the effects of climate change and strengthen their climate
resilience. Quad Summit 2023 was originally scheduled in Australia but was conducted in
Japan on 20 May 2023. Japan also hosted the 49th G7 summit from 19 to 21 May 2023 in
Hiroshima city of Hiroshima Prefecture. Although India is not a member of G7, PM Modi
travelled to Japan for the G7 and Quad Summit on a personal invite of Prime Minister of
Japan Fumio Kishida.
- India and Australia sign agreement in the field of Green Hydrogen
During the final leg of PM Modi's three-nation tour (Japan, Papua New Guinea, and
Australia) India and Australia signed agreements in the field of migration and mobility
partnership and on the Green Hydrogen task force. The MoUs were exchanged after a
bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony
Albanese.He also announced the establishment of a new Australian Consulate General in
Bengaluru saying it will help connect Australian businesses to India's booming digital and
innovation ecosystem.
- US seeks to add India in NATO Plus
A US Congressional Committee recently recommended strengthening Nato Plus by including
India in the five-member grouping. Nato Plus is a grouping of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) and five countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel, and
South Korea. The group works toward boosting global defence cooperation. India would
gain access to seamless intelligence sharing between these countries.
It would further strengthen India’s defence partnership with the United States.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):
- It is a transatlantic alliance of 31 like-minded North American and European
countries.
- It was established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty)
on April 4, 1949.
- Aim is to protect peace and to guarantee the territorial integrity, political
independence and security of the member states.
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- Five Eyes Alliance:
 The recent India-Canada standoff regarding allegations of Indian government
involvement in the killing of a separatist leader in Canada has brought attention to
the role of the Five Eyes Alliance.
 Five Eyes Alliance refers to an intelligence-sharing partnership among five countries:
the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.
 These nations collaborate closely on intelligence matters, sharing information to
protect their shared national interests.
 The alliance traces its origins back to World War II when the UK and the US decided
to share intelligence after successfully breaking German and Japanese codes.
 It began as the Britain-USA (BRUSA) agreement, later evolving into the UK-USA
(UKUSA) agreement, with Canada joining in 1949 and New Zealand and Australia in
1956.
- The AIRS Fellowship Program is a bilateral program between India and Australia. It is
led by Australia India Institute. The funding for this program is provided by the
Australian Government Department of Education. It promotes research
collaborations and student mobility between India and Australia. It is part of the
Update to the India Economic Strategy to 2035 action plan that seeks to strengthen
academic relations. It is to see collaboration among 22 Australian universities and 37
Indian higher education institutes.
- The Border Gavaskar Trophy is conducted by the BCCI and Cricket Australia; and is
played via ICC. This means the performances of the players in the match will be
included in the ICC rankings. It is played between India and Australia. It is a test
cricket series. India won the first test of the series. The first test was played at
Nagpur. The test series was planned for 2022 but was postponed because of the T20
World Cup.

First Test Four tests are to be conducted. This is the first test that was held in Nagpur India
won the innings and 132 runs.
The match is being held since 1996. The frequency of the trophy is not as that of “The
Ashes”. The Ashes is a test series conducted between England and Australia. The current
BCCI President is Roger Binny.

- The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA) was

signed by the two countries on April 2, 2022. This free trade agreement eases trade
between India and Australia by reducing customs duties, regulatory laws, subsidies
and quotas on products under import-export. The pact ensures that the cost of
production is cheaper when compared with other countries.
- India-Australia relations touched a historic low when the Australian Government
condemned India’s 1998 nuclear tests.
- In 2014, Australia signed a Uranium supply deal with India, the first of its kind with
a country that is a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, in
recognition of India’s “impeccable” non-proliferation record.

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