India and Australia on 10 April 2017 signed six agreements to boost the bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
The signed agreements include cooperation in combating international terrorism and transnational organised crime.
These agreements were signed during Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull’s four-day visit to India. He will be in India from 9 April to 12 April 2017.
This is Turnbull’s first visit to India since he assumed office in 2015.
The six agreements which were exchanged during Prime Minister Turnbull’s visit to India includes:
MoU on cooperation in combatting international terrorism and transnational organised crime.
MoU for promotion and development of cooperation in civil aviation security.
MoU on cooperation in the field of environment, climate and wildlife.
MoU on cooperation in sports.
MoU on cooperation in the field of health and medicine. Implementation arrangement between ISRO and Geoscience Australia on cooperation in earth observation and satellite navigation
These agreements were inked after the two sides held comprehensive discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern.
The two nations also agreed to repeat a bilateral maritime exercise which was first held in the Bay of Bengal in 2015.
It will be repeated in Western Australia in the first half of 2018.
They also welcomed a decision of holding the first bilateral
Army-to-Army exercise, which will take place in 2018.
Besides, the much awaited free-trade agreement remained elusive during the visit of PM Turnbull. The two sides failed to conclude negotiations for Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).
Australia has also decided to join the International Solar Alliance put together at PM Modi’s initiative.
The two leaders also remotely inaugurated a Nano-technology research centre which was jointly established by TERI Institute and the Deakin University of Australia.
