Lisa Singh, the CEO of the Australia-India Institute, a leading research and policy think tank dedicated to supporting and understanding the bilateral cooperation, is a former Australian Senator and was the first woman of South Asian heritage to be elected to the Australian Parliament. She is in India to meet with a wide range of stakeholders invested in the development of the Indian Ocean and Indo Pacific region, and to deepen the footprint of the research- and policy-focused fellowship that the AI Institute offers. She spoke to Narayan Lakshman about some of the key areas of focus for Canberra and New Delhi as they seek to lift bilateral ties to an ever-higher level.
The Sixth India-Australia Maritime Security Dialogue recently took place, covering issues such as maritime domain awareness, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, regional engagements, and the sustainable use of maritime resources. Could you elaborate on the longer arc of cooperation in this area between India and Australia? What more could the two countries do together, and what impact should they aim to achieve?
The issues raised during the dialogue were highly relevant not just for the Indian Ocean but also for the Pacific Ocean. Given that Australia is a country situated between two oceans—the Indian and Pacific—there’s a significant role we must play in leadership across various issues like Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), humanitarian assistance, climate change, and disaster relief in both regions.
Considering Australia’s unique position between these two oceans, how important is India as a partner in tackling these regional issues?
India is an obvious and trusted partner in this regard. Our relationship has evolved significantly from where it was during the Cold War era when we were on opposite sides of the geopolitical spectrum. Now, we have a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), which strengthens our bilateral relationship. The CSP brings together important aspects such as ministerial-level discussions—our two-plus-two dialogue between foreign ministers and defence ministers is a clear example of that.
How do you assess the progress made in broader economic cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) rubric?
The economic relationship between India and Australia is not where it could be, despite some progress under the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). While it’s good that tariffs have been removed, and we’re trading more produce, I believe we could be doing much better. One major issue is the lack of understanding among Australian businesses about how to engage with India. We call this “India literacy,” and it’s something that needs more focus if we are to unlock the full potential of our economic relationship.
The ministerial two-plus-two dialogue outlines key areas of cooperation between India and Australia. But what more can be done beyond this to strengthen the relationship, especially in supporting the broader Indo-Pacific region?
The two-plus-two dialogue is essential in strengthening our bilateral ties. However, as a think tank, we argue that India and Australia must go beyond just supporting each other and focus on supporting the Indo-Pacific region. Both nations want a peaceful, rules-based Indo-Pacific, and we should enhance our multilateral engagement in organizations like the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). India is already playing a role in these forums, and Australia should consider becoming an observer country in the IOC.
Could you elaborate on India’s role in the Pacific region and how it could complement Australia’s involvement?
India is not part of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), an important platform for Australia to engage with Pacific Island nations. It would be beneficial to explore ways for India to be involved in these conversations. Both India and Australia are already conducting a lot of defence exercises, which are vital. However, there’s room for further collaboration on non-traditional security issues like climate security and illegal fishing, which affect the livelihoods of small island states in the region.
The Malabar Exercise is a significant example of the growing defence cooperation between India and Australia. How has this relationship evolved?
Indeed, we’ve come a long way since Australia wasn’t initially invited to participate in the Malabar exercise. Last year, Australia hosted the Malabar exercise in Sydney Harbour, which was a testament to how our defence cooperation has deepened. Our relationship continues to evolve in response to the changing challenges in the region, which Foreign Minister Jaishankar has described as the most consequential region of our time.
You mentioned that the relationship between India and Australia must go beyond defence cooperation. Could you expand on other areas of collaboration, such as climate security?
While defence is crucial, we need to approach these issues through other lenses, like climate security. For example, climate change and illegal fishing are pressing concerns that impact the economic livelihoods of small island states. These are areas where both India and Australia can collaborate, as these challenges go beyond traditional defence concerns. This focus is particularly relevant given our shared history of humanitarian cooperation, such as after the 2004 tsunami.
Australia and India recently held a dialogue on island states in Kolkata. What were some of the key outcomes from that discussion?
The Kolkata Dialogue was a ground-breaking discussion between Australia and India, focusing on supporting island states. It touched on issues like economic coercion and disinformation campaigns, particularly in smaller island states. However, one key takeaway was that no island leaders were present at the dialogue, which is something we plan to address in the next iteration of the dialogue, scheduled to be held in Fiji next year. Our aim is to bring in island leaders from both the Indian Ocean and the Pacific to hear directly from them about what they need from trusted partners like India and Australia.
You mentioned that Australian businesses have been slow to engage with India. How do you see this changing, and what needs to be done?
There is definitely room for improvement. Australian businesses have traditionally focused on the US and European markets, and more recently, China. However, they need to recognize that India is a key economic player, and the pandemic has shown us the importance of diversifying our supply chains. Sectors like critical minerals and renewable energy present major opportunities for both countries, but we need more awareness and education for businesses on both sides to engage more effectively.
What role can education and research collaboration play in strengthening India-Australia ties?
Education and research collaboration are crucial pillars of the India-Australia relationship. We’re already working on several initiatives, like the Women in STEM Fellowship, which fosters exchange between researchers from both countries. Additionally, we’re exploring opportunities for vocational training in India, where Australian providers can help train Indian counterparts on the ground. These kinds of exchanges can significantly deepen our ties and address shared challenges in the education and skills space.
Finally, what are your plans for future initiatives in this space?
We’re currently working on several exciting projects. For instance, we’ll be holding a climate security roundtable in Chennai, and we’re also launching new initiatives as part of the Victoria-India strategy. Additionally, the University of Melbourne is opening a new centre in Connaught Place, Delhi, which is a first for an Australian university in India. These initiatives will help deepen the collaboration between our countries in areas like climate security, education, and leadership.
