New Delhi: Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green OAM, on Monday, labelled India as an “indispensable part of the balancing equation for Australia”. Speaking at an event “Diplomat Diaries”, hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, Green commended India’s economy and emphasized that many of Canberra’s firms and government want to be closely involved in its trajectory.
Green highlighted Australia has a very imminent bilateral relationship with India. Meanwhile, he mentioned the significant Indian diaspora in Australia, stating that nearly a million people of Indian origin live in Australia, accounting for nearly 4% of the population. He also reiterated the Australian foreign ministry’s stance on allegations made by the US and Canada, emphasizing Australia’s unchanged view about the rule of law and sovereignty.
The High Commissioner underscored Australia’s focus on the Indo-Pacific region amidst global security challenges. He stated, “Australia’s focus on the Indo-Pacific has never been so complete,” adding that Australia’s engagement in its region over the past 30 years has steadily increased, reaching a new high.
Green expressed optimism about the economic future of the Indo-Pacific region and its implications for Australian businesses, travellers, and cultural exchanges.
Addressing the ‘Quad’ membership, a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, Green emphasized that there are no plans to increase its membership. He stressed the importance for Quad member countries to frame their relations with China and make sovereign choices about their own destinies in ways that are uncoerced and without undue influence.
Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview, stated that the Indo-Pacific region is the engine of global trade, innovation, and growth. He emphasized that the security of the Indo-Pacific is important not only to the region but to the world. He clarified that Quad is not aimed against any country and is a group of like-minded countries working on a shared positive agenda.
