Australia to open Consulate-General in Bengaluru this month, PM Albanese announces

India`s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, shakes hands with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following a joint press conference at Admiralty House in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Photo: AP/PTI

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Wednesday said that the country will open a Consulate-General in Bengaluru this month. The announcement comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will establish a similar mission in Brisbane as part of the efforts of the two countries to enhance bilateral ties.

Prime Minister Albanese in a media statement said the opening of the new diplomatic mission in Bengaluru will help in connecting the country's businesses to India's booming digital and innovation ecosystem.

In Photos: PM Modi holds bilateral meeting with Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Sydney

This will be the country's fifth diplomatic mission in India. Others are in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. India currently has three consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Brisbane currently has an Honorary Consulate of India.

"Expanding Australia's diplomatic footprint to Bengaluru will connect Australian businesses to India's booming digital economy and innovation ecosystem, and reinforce our growing links in science and technology. Prime Minister Albanese welcomed India's plans for a Consulate-General in Brisbane," Albanese said.

Prime Minister Modi thanked Australia for its support in establishing a Consulate General of India in Brisbane.

On G-20, Albanese said that he is looking forward to returning to India for the G20 Summit.

"My ministers are regularly visiting India for the G20 discussions that have taken place across the full range of portfolios which are there," he added.

The two leaders also exchanged the MoUs on mobility, migration, and green hydrogen task force.

Albanese also spoke about his meeting with Modi in a year which says a lot about the friendship between Australia and India.

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"In my first year as Prime Minister, I have met with Prime Minister Modi six times, which underscores the value we place on deepening ties between our nations. Australia is a better place because of the contributions of the Indian-Australian community, and we want to see more connections between our countries," he said.

Albanese was also very pleased to launch the operations of the Centre for Australia-India Relations that will be based in Parramatta here in Western Sydney.

Headquartered in Parramatta, the centre's mission is to work across government, industry, academia and the community to further foster ties between the two countries and encourage businesses to "seize the opportunities" of their economic partnership.

Albanese also talked about the Quad Summit, which took place in Japan's Hiroshima on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.

"Prime Minister Modi's visit to Australia has strengthened the close and strong relationship that Australia enjoys with India," Albanese said.

"This is a relationship we need to invest in. Our strong partnership with India will deliver benefits for Australia in trade, investment and business, and in regional security and stability."

Modi also met Governor General of Australia David Hurley and Leader of Opposition Peter Dutton and discussed the people-to-people connection between the two countries and the strengthening of the long-standing bilateral partnership. (PTI)