Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday in Johannesburg, South Africa. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, both leaders were happy with how much the India-Australia partnership has grown in the last five years, especially since the relationship became a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” in 2020.
PM Modi, Australia’s Anthony Albanese Meet in Johannesburg
“Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the deepening and diversification of cooperation between India and Australia in the last five years following the elevation of the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020. Prime Minister Albanese offered his solidarity on the recent terror attack in India. The leaders committed to strengthening the global fight against terrorism,” the press released cited by ANI said.
During the talks, PM Albanese expressed his condolences for the Red Fort terror attack in India that left several dead and the bus accident in Saudi Arabia, where many Indian Umrah pilgrims lost their lives. Albanese added, “We have much to discuss, and our relationship is very strong. I think the economic relationship we can strengthen further, and our defence and security ties are also very important going forward. And I look forward to our discussion today.”
Focus on stronger bilateral ties
According to ANI, during their meeting, both leaders reviewed ways to further improve cooperation across several key areas, including political and strategic ties, defence and security, energy, trade and investment, critical minerals, technology, mobility and education, and people-to-people exchanges.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Had a very good meeting with PM Albanese of Australia. This year, the strategic partnership between our nations completes 5 years, and these years have witnessed transformative outcomes that have deepened our cooperation. During our talks today, we emphasised three key sectors, defence and security, nuclear energy and trade, where there is immense potential for ties to grow further. The other sectors discussed included education, cultural exchanges and more.”
PM Modi and PM Albanese agreed that their frequent high-level meetings have given the partnership strong momentum. They reaffirmed their shared vision and promised to take the India-Australia partnership to even greater heights.
G20 Summit in Africa
PM Modi will attend the G20 Summit from November 21 to 23, marking a historic moment. This is the first G20 Summit ever held on the African continent. He will share India’s views on issues affecting both the country and the Global South.
This is also PM Modi’s fourth official visit to South Africa. He earlier travelled in 2016 for a bilateral visit and also attended the BRICS Summits in 2018 and 2023.
South Africa is hosting the G20 under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.” This summit continues the trend of G20 meetings being led by the Global South after Indonesia (2022), India (2023) and Brazil (2024). The G20 brings together major economies that make up 85% of global GDP and 75% of global trade.
PM Modi said he was deeply touched by the affection shown by the Indian community in Johannesburg, adding that the bond between India and South Africa is rooted in shared history and continues to grow stronger. He later said, “The cultural connect between India and South Africa is truly heartwarming and timeless. In Johannesburg, my young friends sang the Ganapati Prarthana, Shanti Mantra and other divine prayers with great devotion.”
