Australian FM Wong hails relationship with India as "important", appreciates PM Modi's visit

Sydney [Australia], May 24 (ANI): Hailing the relationship with India as one of the most "important", Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday said that the ties between the two countries have been going "strength to strength" as she appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the pacific nation.
Speaking to ANI, Wong said that Australia regards India as one of its most important relationships, and there is a lot of momentum in the relationship.
"We are really appreciative of PM Modi for making this visit to Australia. The relationship with India is going from strength to strength. Australia regards India as one of our most important relationships. There is a lot of momentum in the relationship. There is a lot of strategic alignment, shared strategic interest...Obviously the relationship ....but as we discussed today a lot of economic interests today, and we are really keen to keep deepening the relationship," the Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.
On being asked about the action that will be taken against Khalistani extremism, the Australian Foreign Minister said that the country is a multicultural democracy and there is no space for hatred.
"...We are a multicultural democracy...There is no space for hatred. There is certainly no space for violence. That is the approach the Govt will be taking..."
Wong also said that QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between India, the US, Australia and Japan) is very important and it is also very important for a shared aspiration for an open, and resilient Indo-Pacific.
"The QUAD is a group of democracies, the QUAD is a group which looks at the public goods in the region obviously it has engaged in the vaccine supply for the region...we see the QUAD is very important. It has been important for our shared aspiration for an open, resilient Indo-Pacific," Penny Wong told ANI.
Earlier today, Penny Wong also met her Indian counterpart S Jaishankar in Sydney.
Taking to Twitter, EAM Jaishankar wrote, " An excellent meeting this afternoon with FM
@SenatorWong of Australia. The follow-up to the Prime Ministers' Summit has commenced. India and Australia are increasingly demonstrating their ability to go beyond the bilateral and collaborate at the regional and global level."
PM Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday as part of his three-nation visit.
Albanese also said that he met with PM Modi six times, which underscores the value the countries place on deepening ties.
He also stated that Australia is a better place because of the contributions of the Indian-Australian community and he wanted to see more connections between the two countries.
Meanwhile, on Twitter, Albanese said that Australia and India are working more closely together to boost renewable energy in both our countries.
"Our two countries already have such a strong friendship, and our Indian-Australian community has contributed so much," PM Albanese tweeted.
"And today, together with Prime Minister @narendramodi, we're making the ties between India and Australia even stronger," he added. (ANI)