Any bilateral relationship can experience “occasional speed bumps” but our strategic, economic, and people to people partnerships with India are very strong, said Philip Green, Australian Envoy to India. “I am very confident we will move ahead with great velocity in the years to come.” The envoy refused to answer questions on “intelligence matters.”
Last week, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia will uphold its democratic values in the face of “foreign interference”. She was responding to reports that India had at one point in the past operated a “nest of spies” on Australian soil. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) had reported that Indian ‘spies’ were “kicked out” after they were “caught trying to steal secrets about sensitive defence projects and airport security.”
Strategic balance
“India is an indispensable part of the balancing... and the strategic balance in the Indian Ocean cannot be fashioned without engagement with India... Beyond the defence domain, and this is really important, we see India as a key partner in economic security. We want to develop better supply chain resilience... Beyond that, India is a key part of our trade diversification agenda,” Mr. Green said speaking at the Observer Research Foundation.
On April 17, Australia released its new National Defence Strategy (NDS) 2024 which termed India a “top-tier security partner” and said that through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, the government is continuing to prioritise “practical and tangible cooperation” that directly contributes to Indo-Pacific stability. The Envoy said what is most notable is how fast India has become a top tier partner, compared to many others. It happened over the last five years, he noted.
Mr. Green said the Indo-Pacific region is experiencing superpower competition and boundary disputes are intensifying. “China is undertaking the biggest military buildup the world has seen since World War II. And that build up is happening without transparency or strategic reassurance,” he stated.
Chinese arms build up
He also referred to China’s territorial disputes and how it managed them. Given the strategic risks, the Envoy said they want a region where the large and the mighty don’t dominate the small and the less mighty.
What we are seeking to establish for ourselves is a sustainable strategic balance and a region where states can express their sovereignty and freedom, Mr. Green stated.
Australia is doubling down on military capability, Mr. Green said noting that defence spending has increased from 2.1% to 2.4% of GDP and the Army is being transformed into an amphibious force, while the surface combat fleet is being doubled.
The Envoy said recent bilateral visits have tempered the relationship with China. He said they have reached a “new equilibrium” with China. We know we have differences with China and we are able to express the problems and discuss them in private and exist side by side, he said noting that China is a very important trade and economic partner.
