Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday highlighted the strong ties between New Delhi and Canberra and said that the friendly relations will not be disrupted by attacks on temples or activities of separatist elements in Australia.
Addressing the special briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third day in Australia, Kwatra said, “You would have clearly noticed when the honourable Prime Minister of India said, and which was clearly appreciated by the Australian side, that India-Australia ties are very strong, very deep, very extensive, and we would not allow these friendly ties to be disrupted by such elements. Prime Minister also thanked the honourable Prime Minister of Australia for his assurance.” He said that both PM Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese discussed the recent spat of attacks on temples in Australia as such activities are disruptive to the relationship between the two countries.
“Attack on the temples and the other such activities are disruptive to the relationship. As you heard the Honourable Prime Minister (PM Modi) say in his press remarks that the attack on the temples and the activities of the other separatist elements, were discussed between the two Prime Ministers earlier, also during Prime Minister Albanese’s visit to India, and today also from the discussions last time till this time,” he said.
He further stated that the progress is reflected and PM Modi thanked his Australian counterpart for the action that the government has taken against the elements which perpetrated such attacks.
Notably, several cases of Khalistani extremism and brawls between Khalistani activists and pro-India demonstrators have recently come to the fore in several parts of Australia. Indian flags were burnt and even a Hindu temple was vandalised recently in Australia.(ANI)
