Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tells Australia’s parliament in Canberra that India’s economic growth is a major development for the Indo-Pacific. He says India—already the world’s most populous country—is projected to become the third-largest economy within this decade. Albanese characterizes this as an “extraordinary opportunity” for regional engagement, noting Australia’s position as both a Pacific and Indian Ocean nation.
Albanese also links the improved relationship between the two countries to the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), signed in 2022. He says the pact has strengthened trade and describes the relationship as being reinforced through broader people-to-people links such as culture, education, and cricket. He further recalls that he first visited India as a backpacker in 1991 and has visited twice as prime minister.
Both outlets report that Albanese expresses his expectation to host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi again soon.
