What’s in the news?

• Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart PM Scott Morrison took part in the first-ever virtual bilateral summit between the leaders of the two countries.
• During the summit India and Australia concluded several key agreements including a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA).

MLSA

• Under MLSA, the two countries’ militaries can use each other’s bases to carry out repair and replenishment of supplies besides allowing for scaling up of overall defence ties.
• India already has similar agreements with the US, France and Singapore.

Other important agreements

• The two countries also agreed to increase the frequency of meetings between the two Prime Ministers, and took the “2+2” format of bilateral meetings to the level of Foreign and Defence Ministers, who will meet to discuss strategic issues at least every two years.
• Other agreements announced included a framework arrangement on cyber technology, an MoU on cooperation in the field of mining and processing of critical and strategic minerals. India plans to import strategic minerals from Australia while diversifying supplies beyond China.
• The two sides also decided to recommence suspended talks over the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), suspended since 2015 after nine inconclusive rounds of negotiations.

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

• During the summit, the two countries raised their relationship to a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” (CSP).
• The relationship between the two nations was upgraded to a ‘Strategic Partnership’ level in 2009. Since then, both countries have expanded their cooperation in a range of key areas.

• India has signed CSPs with the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates thus far.
• The CSP would raise the level of trust required to improve the trade and investment flows between India and Australia.