India and Australia have announced a migration deal aimed at enhancing their economic cooperation. The agreement was revealed following a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney on Wednesday.
The migration deal’s objective is to facilitate the two-way mobility of students, graduates, academic researchers, and businesspeople. In addition to discussing regional security in the face of escalating tensions, the leaders addressed matters concerning the Quad group, which comprises India, Australia, Japan, and the United States.
The Quad group had scheduled a meeting in Sydney, but it was canceled last week after US President Joe Biden had to return to Washington for debt ceiling negotiations. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Modi proceeded with his planned visit to Sydney following his attendance at the G7 summit in Japan and his visit to Papua New Guinea.
This visit mark’s Prime Minister Modi’s first trip to Australia since 2014 and comes two months after Prime Minister Albanese’s visit to India in March. Negotiations for the migration agreement have been underway for several years. Australia already has a significant number of migrants from India, with census data revealing that nearly a quarter of the over one million individuals who have migrated to Australia since 2016 were from India.
According to an official statement, the finalized migration agreement will also pave the way for the establishment of a new initiative called MATES (Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early Professionals Scheme), specifically designed for India.
During their discussions on Tuesday, the Indian prime minister highlighted the potential for increased cooperation between the two countries in mining and critical minerals. Furthermore, progress was made in establishing the Australia-India Green Hydrogen Taskforce.
India and Australia have been working towards a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement, with negotiations commencing over a decade ago. Thousands of individuals from the Indian diaspora in Australia gathered at one of Sydney’s largest indoor stadiums on Tuesday, where Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally.
At the event, Prime Minister Albanese remarked, “The last time I saw someone on this stage was Bruce Springsteen, and he did not receive the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has received.” Prime Minister Modi referred to the Indian community in Australia as “a living bridge” between the two nations and emphasized that the relationship between India and Australia is built on mutual trust and respect.
