New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison today took part in the first-ever virtual bilateral summit between the two countries.
“With Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Australia, we aspire to achieve yet new heights in our collaboration,” PM Modi tweeted after the summit.
During the summit, PM Modi said India-Australia relations are diverse as well as deep. “This depth in relations comes with our shared values, shared interests, shared geography and shared objectives,” he said.
At the virtual summit with PM @ScottMorrisonMP. https://t.co/6JIpZRae21
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 4, 2020
“I believe that this is a perfect time, perfect opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relations. We have immense possibilities to further make our friendship bond stronger,” PM said.
PM Modi said there to brainstorm over about several aspects like how the relations between the two countries could become ‘factor of stability’ for the world as well as their respective regions, and how “we can together work for global food”.
He added that the boosting of India-Australia relations is not only important for the two countries but also for ‘Indo-Pacific’regions, as well as the world.
During the meeting, Morrison also remembered PM Modi’s ‘hologram’ campaign ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He called Modi the “pioneer of technology” in India and said that Australia will also try to use the same hologram technology to conduct further meetings as the world faces new challenges in wake of Coronavirus pandemic.
Yesterday, the Ministry of External Affairs had stated that the virtual summit is being held as PM Morrison’s could not visit India amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Prime Minister took to Twitter after the virtual meet earlier today and said he had an outstanding discussion with PM Morrison, “covering the entire expanse of our relationship.”
“A new model of India-Australia partnership, a new model of conducting business. Met my dear friend, PM @ScottMorrisonMP over India-Australia Virtual Summit. We had an outstanding discussion, covering the entire expanse of our relationship,” PM tweeted.
The two leaders also shared some lighter moments as the Australian PM promised to try and cook Gujarati Khichdi. To recall, Morrison had recently posted some pictures of him holding a tray full of homemade samosas and wished that he had the company of PM Modi to relish them. Modi had responded to Morrison’s tweet, saying that he would enjoy samosas with him as soon as the coronavirus pandemic is under control.
During the conversation, Morrison also told PM Modi that he wished he could be in India for the famous ‘Modi hug’ and share his samosas. He said that next time he is going to try some Gujarati Khichdi in the kitchen before they meet.
