PM Modi invites Anthony Albanese for G20 summit in September

India and Australia inked four agreements providing for cooperation in areas of sports, innovation, audio-visual production and solar power following the talks between Modi and Albanese.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday extended an invitation to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese to visit India for G20 Leaders' Summit in September.

"India and Australia are both members of the Quad. I thank PM Albanese for inviting me to Australia for the Quad Leaders' summit in May. I have invited him to India for the G20 summit in September," PM Modi said.

Addressing a press conference Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said, "Both leaders (PM Modi-PM Albanese) assessed very clearly and noted with great satisfaction the strong all-round progress across a range of areas, incl science and technology, strategic and security domain, renewable energy partnership in critical minerals, trade, and economic engagement."

"The full set of comprehensive progress that the two countries have achieved since the relationship was upgraded to a comprehensive, strategic partnership in 2020," he said.

"PM Albanese's visit underlines his enthusiasm and commitment to India-Australia ties. It is also the first annual summit between India and Australia at the level of the leaders. The Summit mechanism was established as an outcome of the 2nd virtual Summit held in March last year," the foreign secretary mentioned.

"PM Albanese was particularly appreciative of his visit to INS Vikrant - we are told the first foreign leader to do so since the first indigenously-built aircraft carrier was commissioned last September," he said.

PM Modi also raised with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese the issue of recent attacks on temples in Australia even as the two leaders focused on concluding an ambitious trade pact by this year and bolster security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific during their first summit talks.

The two sides inked four agreements providing for cooperation in areas of sports, innovation, audio-visual production and solar power following the talks between Modi and Albanese. The discussions were focused on boosting cooperation in clean energy, trade and investment, defence and security, critical minerals, migration and mobility, supply chains, education, culture and sports.