In the midst of border tensions between China and India, senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of India, Australia and France met yesterday for the inaugural India-France-Australia Trilateral Dialogue to discuss Indo-Pacific maritime security and maintaining resilient global supply chains, and to focus on strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. According to a statement issued by the three countries, the trilateral dialogue builds on the strong relationship between the three countries and leverages their respective strengths to ensure a peaceful, secure, prosperous and orderly Indo-Pacific region. The three countries agreed that the India-France-Australia Trilateral Dialogue will be held annually.
The inaugural India-France-Australia Trilateral Dialogue strengthened Indo-Pacific cooperation and was reported by the Central News Agency as anti-China.
According to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Indian External Affairs Minister Harsh Vardhan Shringla, French Foreign Secretary Francois Delattre and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Secretary Frances Adamson co-chaired the inaugural Indo-Australian Trilateral Dialogue via video link yesterday. The trilateral dialogue between India, France and Australia focused on strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. During the dialogue, the three sides discussed the economic and geostrategic challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region and cooperation, especially in the 2019 coronavirus pandemic and their respective internal responses to the epidemic, according to the statement.
The Indian Express, citing unnamed sources, said the three countries discussed the growing importance of resilient and reliable supply chains in the face of the new coronavirus pneumonia epidemic hitting the finances of countries in the Indian Ocean region.
India, France and Australia discussed the Marine Global Commons and potential areas of cooperation among the three countries and at the regional level, including through regional organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), according to a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
In the face of China’s rapid military expansion in the Indo-Pacific region, which is affecting regional peace and stability, sources noted that the three countries have also discussed the possibility of strengthening maritime cooperation, including in the areas of humanitarian rescue and disaster relief, maritime domain awareness, mutual logistical support, and capacity building for Indo-Pacific friendly countries.
The three countries also exchanged views on priorities, challenges and trends in regional and global multilateral institutions, including the best ways to strengthen and reform multilateral institutions, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said.
The Central News Agency said sources said France and Australia are India’s main partners in the Indo-Pacific region, and India is strengthening its engagement with them in response to China’s “aggressive” behavior in the Indian Ocean region. This trilateral dialogue complements the U.S.-India-Japan-Australia quadrilateral security dialogue mechanism and adds diplomatic muscle to the emerging global alliance to counter Beijing’s belligerence, the sources said.
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