Anthony Albanese to visit India in March; Set to watch Aus-India cricket game in Gujarat

After taking office last May, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will officially visit India in March this year. He will also lead a trade delegation during the visit, which has come after the implementation of the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between Australia and India on 29 December 2022.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese offers to play cricket with the children of David Warner (left) during a reception for the Australian and South African Men's Cricket Teams at Kirribilli House in Sydney, Sunday, January 1, 2023 Source: AAP / NIKKI SHORT/AAPIMAGE

Key Points

• In March, the Australian cricket team will visit Gujarat to play their fourth Test against the Indians.
• ECTA will expand trade in goods and services and deliver better economic outcomes for businesses on both sides and bring our two nations even closer together, furthering our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
• The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) recently entered force on December 29, 2022.

On 29 December 2022, the Australian Prime Minister took to Twitter to share the news of his trip to India.

He wrote, “Today the Aus-India Trade Agreement comes into force. This will deliver new opportunities to Australian businesses. At the invitation of @narendramodi I will visit India in March with a business delegation committed to improving two-way trade between our two nations”.

Mr Albanese will meet with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi during his visit and discuss several economic and bilateral issues.

In his remarks to the Australian and South African cricket teams at his New Year’s Day reception at the Kirribilli House, Mr Albanese said "I'll be there (India) with Narendra Modi who’s invited us to the fourth test in his home state of Gujarat."

"We'll be taking our Australian business delegation over as well about how we can expand the economic opportunities for Australia in India. That is one of the things about cricket is that it brings people together across different cultures, across different societies, and it helps to build global harmony. That is so important as well, and I'm looking forward to that,” he added.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese greets Australian cricket player Steve Smith during a reception for the Australian and South African Men's Cricket Teams at Kirribilli House in Sydney, Sunday, January 1, 2023 Source: AAP / NIKKI SHORT/AAPIMAGE

Last year in Bali, Mr Albanese described his upcoming visit to India as important and "an upgrade in the relationship."

He also confirmed that Mr Modi will also be visiting Australia next year for the Quad Leaders' meeting.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2022 G20 summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Wednesday, November 16, 2022.3 Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS/AAPIMAGE

"And then I will return to India later in the year for the G20 Summit,” Mr Albanese added.

The founder of the Australian Indian Sports Educational and Cultural Society (AISECS), Gurnam Singh, is scheduled to travel to India during the same period and will be attending the upcoming match.

Mr Gurnam Singh (L) with Australian PM Anthony Albanese (R)

"The presence of Mr Albanese in India to watch the cricket game with Mr Modi will be a very special moment. It will demonstrate the friendship and trusted partnership between the two leaders," Mr Singh said.

He added that the Australia-India relationship is going to reach a new level this year with the planned visits of both prime ministers.

"Cricket brings people together and this time it will bring two leaders and governments together. However, it needs to go beyond that and the ECTA's implementation needs to be tapped by both sides," Mr Singh said.

Under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) Australia is offering zero-duty access to India for about 96.4 per cent of exports (by value) from the day the agreement was enforced.

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