Strategically, there is a “panda in the room”, in the sense that one of the reasons Australia, Japan, India and the U.S. have come close together during COVID is that the pandemic has “accentuated” some of the negative trends that exist in the world, said Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell on Monday. Australia and India have accepted a “shared responsibility” to ensure a peaceful, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific, he said.
On the trade agreement signed on Saturday, he said both countries “remain committed” to working towards a full Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
Speaking at an event organised by the Australia India Institute on ‘The rise and rise of Australia-India relations', Mr. O’Farrell said India had faced problems and Australia had faced economic coercion. “We are facing a new challenge in the Pacific. Those issues are not going to go away overnight... And there’s no doubt the implications of the invasion of Ukraine will reverberate in our region for some time."
