DELHI & CANBERRA POISED FOR A NEW BEGINNING

Australia holds tremendous significance as the world's 13th largest economy, it accounts for the World's 1.7% of trade, is a member of G20 and also by its geostrategic location. Which makes it an ideal actor with incredible access to vitally important Pacific and Oceania regions.

- Ravi Srivastava

The Legacy

The recent visit of PM Modi to Australia from May 22-24 as part of his three nations tour was significant in many ways. The visit was not only attracting the interest of friendly capitals it was also under the watchful eyes of other regional players. India's relations with Australia go back to the pre-independence period in 1941 when the trade office of the Consulate General of India was opened in Sydney. Australia holds tremendous significance as the world's 13th largest economy, it accounts for the World's 1.7% of trade, is a member of G20 and also by its geostrategic location. Which makes it an ideal actor with incredible access to vitally important Pacific and Oceania regions. This potentially makes Australia a great influencer in balancing global access in these contested regions.

The confluence of the Pacific and Indian Ocean, the proximity of its Northern territory with major shipping lines, along with the emergence of new challenges among PICS make Australia a centrepiece of interest on matters pertaining to security, environment and trade links. The region has so far remained focussed on internal coordination. However, off late with purposeful inroads for influence in neighbourhood with initiatives like BRI in Cooks and Niue islands, it has started gaining attention and prominence. The attempt to manipulate the internal polity of some of the smaller nations like Solomon Island in the PIC by regional heavyweights has not gone unnoticed. There has been rising concern among other nations of such political manipulations shrouded in economic prosperity for gaining a tactical foothold.

Watershed Period