New Delhi
12 November 2009
Australia participated only as an "observer" in the Asian Relations Conference
convened by Jawaharlal Nehru in New Delhi on the eve of India's Independence. Six
decades later, an appreciative Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia said that he saw
the strengthening of the Australia-India relationship as a natural extension of Nehru's
original vision of Asia's future.
"As Prime Minister of Australia, my objective is to build a comprehensive, enduring
strategic partnership between Australia and India that will not result in yet another false
dawn," he said in his lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs here Thursday.
"I envisage a strategic partnership with India where we can build a long-term
comprehensive and integrated relationship that covers the economic, political, security
and cultural spectrum," he added for good measure.
The need for improving the ties stemmed as much from a recognition of India's rise as
"a significant global power" as to "a simple but deep conviction" that Australia, as a
middle power, needs to forge a regional mechanism to manage the inevitable stresses
and strains of shifting economic and strategic contours.
"The Asia Pacific is where the big power relationships most closely intersect. It is the
crucible where the relationships among the US, India, China, Japan and Russia are
forged.
"It is here also that the template for the US-China relationship will emerge and where the
complementary and competitive interests of the major powers will need to be managed,
harmonised and reconciled," he said.
Mr Rudd contended that for too long there has been a waxing and a waning interest
between the two countries and that it was time to raise the relationship from a fitful
engagement to a strategic partnership.
"And here I would like to become a blunt Australian[.] We keep rediscovering each other,
only to then lose our way. The time has well and truly come to lift our vision. To broaden
our engagement," he said.
Mr Rudd, equally bluntly, iterated Australia's position of not exporting uranium to
countries that are not party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
"This is not a policy directed at India," he asserted.
He also said that he could not guarantee there would be no acts of violence against
Indian students but his Government would ensure that all such attacks are dealt with by
the full force of the Australian law enforcement and criminal justice systems.
Mr Rudd supported India's membership of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) and
pitched for India's participation in Australia's proposal for an Asia-Pacific Community by
2020.
Earlier in the day, speaking at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) here, Mr Rudd
pledged over 70 million dollars in areas straddling energy, agriculture and environment.
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