Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to travel to Australia this month

India's external affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar will be travelling to Australia later this month. The visit will be the first such visit from Delhi since the new Albanese government took charge. Last month, Jaishankar met Australian foreign minister Penny Wong bilaterally and as part of the India-France-Australia, India-Australia-Indonesia foreign ministertrilaterals.

During her United Nations General Assembly speech, minister Wong called for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reforms, backing India's bid for a permanent seat at the table.

"It is why we seek reform of the Security Council, with greater permanent representation for the Africa, Latin America, and Asia, including India and Japan," she said.

Since the new government came in Australia, both PM Narendra Modi and PM Anthony Albanese have met on the sidelines of the Quad in-person meeting in Tokyo which was followed by the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles.

Interestingly, during the India visit, Richard flew aboard the Indian Navy's P8i becoming the first minister from a foreign country to do so. P8i is a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

The visit comes in the backdrop of India's thwarting China's attempt to pass an anti-Aukus resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meet in Vienna. The Aukus pact was signed between Australia, United Kingdom and United States last year under which Canberra gets nuclear-powered submarines.

New Delhi, with its deft diplomacy, was able to get enough support that ultimately led to China withdrawing from the resolution. India is one of the board members of the IAEA which has35 members.

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