Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday used cricket analogies to underscore the growing strength of India-Australia ties, describing the bilateral partnership as one built on speed, focus and long-term commitment during a joint press statement with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne.
Addressing the media after the third India-Australia Annual Summit, PM Modi said cricket had become the “diplomatic language” of relations between the two countries and used the sport’s different formats to illustrate the evolving partnership.
“Today, as we are in Melbourne, the sporting capital of the world, not talking about sports would be like winning the toss in a cricket match but never starting the game. Cricket is the diplomatic language of India-Australia relations,” the Prime Minister said.
Drawing parallels between diplomacy and cricket, PM Modi said, “In many ways, our meetings are like a game of cricket: our agenda is as focused as a One Day International, our decisions are as swift as a T20 match, and our partnership is as enduring and deep as a Test match.”
Highlighting future avenues of cooperation, PM Modi noted that both India and Australia are set to host major international sporting events in the coming years, which would create new opportunities beyond the playing field.
“In the coming years, both our countries will host major sporting events such as the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games. This will not only strengthen our sporting cooperation but also create numerous opportunities for investment in sports infrastructure,” he said.
Beyond sports, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in defence, security and counter-terrorism. In a joint statement issued after the summit, India and Australia strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the violent incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
The two Prime Ministers unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and called on the international community to take sustained and coordinated action against terrorism. They urged countries to act decisively against terrorists and terror organisations designated by the United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, as well as their proxies, affiliates, sponsors and financiers.
Recognising the need for closer security cooperation, the two sides agreed to enhance intelligence and information sharing on terrorist threats in the region. They also committed to exploring greater collaboration to counter online radicalisation, violent extremism, the misuse of emerging technologies for terrorist activities, terror financing, and threats to critical infrastructure and the maritime domain.
The summit also marked significant progress in the strategic partnership between the two countries. Earlier in the day, PM Modi announced the conclusion of a landmark agreement on civil nuclear cooperation that will enable the supply of Australian uranium to India for peaceful purposes, adding a new dimension to bilateral ties.
(With ANI inputs)
