New Delhi, Jun 4 (UNI) Recognizing the importance of global cooperation for saving lives and managing the economic impacts of COVID-19 and future global challenges, India and Australia on Thursday decided to share the benefits of scientific and medical research and development, strengthen healthcare systems to respond effectively in preventing the global pandemic.
The joint statement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Australia was issued after the two Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison, participated in an India-Australia Leaders’ Virtual Summit on Thursday. The 12-point joint statement dwells at length upon enhancing cooperation between the two countries in fighting terrorism, enhancing defence and maritime cooperation and strengthening people-to-people contact and boosting economic cooperation.
After the virtual summit, India and Australia also signed seven MoUs in the areas of cyber technology, science and technology, defence, mutual logistic support and water resource management, public administration and governance reforms.
As the world battles to contain the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides also vowed to reflect on the recommendations of the independent and comprehensive evaluation of the international health response to COVID-19 to improve capacity for preparedness in tackling the pandemic.
India and Australia resolved to boost collaboration on science, technology and research to support their national COVID-19 responses. ``We have committed to a new phase of the Australia – India Strategic Research Fund to promote innovative solutions for responding to and treating COVID-19, as well as other jointly determined priorities, to be preceded by a one-off Special COVID-19 Collaboration Round in 2020,’’ the joint statement said.
The two countries also jointly decided to work cooperatively through multilateral, regional and plurilateral mechanisms to strengthen and diversify supply chains for critical health, technology and other goods and services. ``We will work together to strengthen international institutions to ensure they are inclusive and rules-based,’’ it said.
Both countries jointly decided to work together in the areas of digital economy, cyber security and critical and emerging technologies as identified by the Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation.
Australia conveyed that India could consider it as a stable, reliable and trusted supplier of high-quality mineral resources to India. Both sides jointly decided to diversify and expand the existing resources partnership. The MOU on cooperation in the field of mining and processing of Critical and Strategic minerals identifies specific areas where both sides will work together to meet the technological demands of the future economy. Both countries jointly decided to cooperate on new technologies for exploration and extraction of other minerals.
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