Today at 12:30 p.m., Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will hold a virtual meeting. The two leaders are anticipated to pledge to boost bilateral cooperation in areas such as commerce, transport, education, and critical minerals. The Australian Prime Minister is scheduled to announce an investment of Rs 1,500 crore in India in sectors such as technology and critical minerals.

The Ukraine-Russia conflict is also likely to come up during the presidents' talks. On Friday, PM Morrison stated that the Ukraine situation and its ramifications for the Indo-Pacific region will be discussed during the virtual summit with PM Modi. This is significant since India, unlike other QUAD members such as the United States, Japan, and Australia, has not condemned the Russian incursion. India has repeatedly advocated for a diplomatic solution to the problem.

However, Australia's High Commissioner to India, Barry O'Farrell, previously stated that they understand India's perspective. He went on to say that it is clear from the Ministry of External Affairs' and Prime Minister Modi's comments that India has utilised its contacts to call for an end to the bloodshed. "No country will be pleased with that," he had stated.

The India-Australia summit follows the two countries' first virtual summit on June 4, 2020. The historic meeting had elevated the countries' relationship to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.' PM Modi and PM Morrison's meeting comes just after PM Modi's meeting with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida on Saturday, during which Japan promised a Rs 3.2 lakh crore investment in India over the next five years.

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