Minister of External Affairs of India, H.E. Dr. S. Jaishankar, paid official visit to Australia from 10-13 February 2022 at the invitation of his Australian counterpart Ms. Marise Payne. This was his first visit as External Affairs Minister to Australia. It was the first high level visit to Australia from India after the opening of its borders which were closed following the outbreak of the Covid19 pandemic.
EAM participated in the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on 11 February 2022 in Melbourne, along with the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Japan and the United States. The Ministers reviewd ongoing Quad cooperation and build on the positive and constructive agenda announced by the Leaders at the two Summits in 2021, to addressed contemporary challenges such as the COVID pandemic, supply chains, critical technologies, climate change, infrastructure etc.
EAM and Australian Foreign Minister was co-chaired the 12th Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue on 12 February 2022. The Ministers reviewed the progress of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discuss bilateral, multilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.
On the same day, EAM co-chaird the inaugural Foreign Ministers’ Cyber Framework Dialogue (FMCFD) with Australian Foreign Minister Ms. Marise Payne. The Ministers assessed the progress made towards implementation of the India-Australia Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation and the subsidiary Plan of Action which they signed in June 2020 on the sidelines of the Virtual Leaders’ Summit held between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
EAM also met with Australian political leaders, academics and businesses, as well as the Indian diaspora and students.
The visit was impart further momentum to bilateral relations with our key partners in the Indo-Pacific,Australia, and the Philippines, which is also a leading member of ASEAN.