Australian PM Morrison cancels first official India visit due to major bushfire crisis
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 3
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has postponed his state visit to India scheduled for mid-January, said Foreign Offices of both countries. Morrison’s first visit to India after taking over as Australian Prime Minister was being anticipated for several reasons, primarily because Canberra is seen building up its ties with India as a security and economic hedge against China.
Morrison postponed his visit because of bushfires ravaging Australia with his role as the nation’s leader coming under fire as he was first away for a family vacation and then was not publicly seen for days. Reports said Morrison has been confronted by angry people when he toured some of the worst fire-affected areas in New South Wales.
Morrison spoke to PM Modi before the Foreign Offices went public about the visit postponement. He was to leave Australia for a five-day visit to Japan and India, both of which figure prominently in Australia’s calculus for increasing trade and security ties. PM Modi also conveyed Morrison his condolences on damage to life and property due to severe and prolonged bushfires.
The call-off of the visit also robs the sheen from the “Raisina Dialogue’’, an annual conference partly funded by the MEA, where Morrison was to be the chief guest with the theme “Asia Pacific’’.
Australia and India crossed a Rubicon recently when they recently held their first-ever two-plus-two of their Foreign and Defence Secretaries, signalling a desire to develop greater strategic proximity. In tune with this approach, the Foreign Ministers of the Quad countries — the US, Australia, India and Japan — met in New York, the first time the Quad met at Ministerial level.
Australia is also keen to step up coal and natural gas ties with India in order to avoid over-dependence on China. The ruling government has provided complete support to the Adani Carmichael mine in Queensland despite concerns from environmentalists.
