India, Australia grant access to each other’s military bases
In this handout photo provided by the Press Information Bureau, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during a virtual meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in New Delhi, India, Thursday, June 4, 2020. India and Australia upgraded their relationship with a raft of agreements Thursday, including strengthening defense ties and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific maritime issues. The agreements were signed during a virtual summit between Modi and Morrison. (Press Information Bureau via AP)
Beijing, 2020 June 4 Thursday (CGTN)
India and Australia sealed an accord on Thursday to grant access to each other’s military bases to facilitate mutual defense exchanges and exercises.
The agreement – known as the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement – was reached during a virtual summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. It allows military ships and aircraft to refuel and access maintenance facilities.
India has a similar agreement with the United States.
Modi and Morrison agreed to upgrade their nations’ ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the Australian prime minister confirmed in his opening remarks on the virtual summit.
“The comprehensive strategic partnership that we are forming today, going to a whole new level in the relationship, will continue to build the trust, because we want commercial and trading relationships that are built on trust,” Morrison said.
“We share democratic values, the rule of law, freedoms, and respect for international institutions. When these are being challenged, we need to strengthen our cooperation,” Modi said in his opening remarks.
“It is time for our relationship to grow broader and deeper,” Morrison told Modi.
Morrison was forced to cancel a visit to India in January due to the bushfires crisis at home, and with the ongoing pandemic, the two leaders opted to hold a virtual summit instead.
Accords were also struck to enhance cooperation on cyber and related technologies.
There was no word on whether Australia would join India later this year in annual naval exercises held with the U.S. and Japan in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.
The four countries are part of the controversial “Quad” grouping that tries to present a united front on regional security issues.
(With input from Reuters)
