Australian envoy says Penny Wong's India visit is key to reviewing bilateral, regional and global priorities

New Delhi [India], November 21 (ANI): Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green highlighted the significance of Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's visit to New Delhi, calling the annual Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue a key mechanism for the two countries to review bilateral, regional, and global priorities.

Speaking about the engagement between the two ministers, Green said, "Well, the 16th Foreign Minister's Framework dialogue is the major set piece beat we have between our foreign ministers every year... This is where they sit down for two or three hours and go through all of the issues bilaterally, regionally and globally."

He emphasised the strong working relationship between the two leaders, noting that "all of her counterparts that our foreign minister has met in the world, Dr Jaishankar is the one that she has met the most often - 26 times, including the time that they met yesterday."

Green added that the latest discussions were productive, highlighting that the "key announcement she made yesterday related to sports and Australia's readiness to partner more deeply with India as it navigates its sports journey and a deeper sports agenda."

Outlining the initiatives unveiled during the visit, he said, "These three new initiatives, which we will have for coaches and athletes to either come from Australia to India or come from India to Australia, including to our iconic Australian Institute of Sports, to benefit from whatever capability we have."

He noted that this deeper sports cooperation reflects Australia's commitment to strengthening people-to-people ties and supporting India's growing sports ecosystem.

The High Commissioner's comments aligned with Penny Wong's own remarks a day earlier, when she underscored the expanding depth and strategic importance of Australia-India ties during the 16th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue, which she co-chaired with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Describing the partnership as "closer and more consequential than ever," Wong said the meeting centred on leveraging shared strengths for the benefit of both countries and the wider Indo-Pacific.

In a post on X, she wrote, "Australia & India's partnership has never been closer nor more consequential. Delighted to be in Delhi to co-host the 16th Foreign Minister's Framework Dialogue with my good friend S Jaishankar to discuss leveraging our partnership for the benefit of our countries & the region. (sic)"

Wong said the discussions covered strategic technologies, defence cooperation, trade, and people-to-people ties, noting that the ministers shared a vision for a "peaceful stable, stable and prosperous region." She added, "I visited Australia's hardworking embassy and met with experts and industry leading the way in cyber and tech."

During her visit, Wong also met embassy staff and engaged with specialists working in cyber security and emerging technologies, reinforcing Australia's intention to deepen cooperation with India in critical sectors.

Wong arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to lead the 16th edition of the Dialogue, which the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said provides an important platform to advance the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. (ANI)

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