Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong To Visit India During March 1, 2

Penny Wong, Australia's foreign minister, stated that her nation firmly supports India's G20 leadership and applauds India's ambitious, results-driven G20 agenda. Prior to future high-level meetings between the two nations, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will go to India this week to advance bilateral relations and strive to promote a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region. Wong is anticipated to attend the Raisina Dialogue, the annual geopolitical conference co-hosted by the external affairs ministry, in addition to the G20 foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi on March 1-2. After taking office as foreign minister last year, Wong will be making this his first trip to India. In a statement on Monday, Wong said Australia "fully supports India's G20 leadership and welcomes India's ambitious, action-oriented G20 agenda, under the theme "One Planet, One Family, One Future."  "I look forward to working with my counterparts on how we can address contemporary international challenges, including strengthening the multilateral system, food and energy security, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief,"  she said in reference to her attendance at the G20 foreign ministers meeting. After Wong's visit, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Trade Minister Don Farrell, and Resources Minister Madeleine King will also make journeys to India.

Albanese is scheduled to arrive in India during the second week of March. People with knowledge of the situation said that during the upcoming visits by the Australian leaders, the regional security situation, cooperation in critical minerals, and upgrading the interim trade agreement signed by India and Australia last year to a comprehensive free trade agreement are expected to come up. According to the sources, the Indian side is almost ready to make an investment in Australia's vital minerals industry in order to accelerate the development of renewable energy and electric vehicles. Later this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the presidents of Australia, Japan, and the US are anticipated to go to Australia for the Quad Leaders' Conference. After visiting Malaysia, Wong will go to India where she would reiterate Australia's shared priorities under a bilateral comprehensive strategic relationship. Meetings with Malaysian officials, according to her, would be centred on "improving our important trade and economic relations, collaboration on defence and regional security, and the deep ties between our people."