India, Australia call for free, open and rule-based Indo-Pacific region

New Delhi: India and Australia on Tuesday called for a "free, open, inclusive and rules-based" Indo-Pacific – a region where China is increasingly flexing its military muscles – even as Canberra announced hosting the next Indian Ocean Conference in Perth in February to discuss the problems being faced by the region.

Addressing a press conference following the India-Australia Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said India was preparing for a meeting of the Quad - Australia, India, Japan and the US - sometime next year.

"We shared growing convergence with Australia. At the heart of it is really a shared commitment to a free, open, inclusive, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific region based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," Jaishankar said.

Wong said the Indian Ocean Conference would provide an opportunity to discuss the problems being faced by the region. The conference that began at Singapore in 2016 with the participation of 30 countries, has emerged as a key regional consultation event.

Jaishankar also briefed Wong on India’s positions on its recent tussle with Canada as well as the Hamas-Israel conflict.

"From our point of view, the key issue is really the space which is being given to extremism and radicalism in Canada. Australia has a good and strong relationship with both India and Canada. So, it is important that Australia get our perspective on the issue," he said.

The ties between India and Canada strained following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia. India has rejected all such claims.

Jaishankar said India and Australia also discussed the importance of moving on the 'Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement' negotiations. We spoke of the way forward for greater mobility of our students and professionals. Both of us are committed to build more trusted, reliable and resilient supply chains in the Indo-Pacific for broader and inclusive growth," he said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Jaishankar met Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Wong on Monday in the 2+2 ministerial dialogue.

The two countries have decided to further strengthen their strategic partnership to deal with "exceptional challenges" in the Indo-Pacific region and across the globe, with a special focus on defence cooperation.