PM Modi hails Australia joining of international solar body

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Tuesday met visiting Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop and welcomed Australia’s joining of the International Solar Alliance.

“Australia’s membership will provide a boost to the alliance,” he said.

The Australian foreign minister also met her Indian counterpart, Sushma Swaraj, for the Indo-Australian “Framework Dialogue of Foreign Ministers”.

Australia has condemned the recent terror attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims in the Kashmir Valley and expressed the “common resolve” of both the countries in the fight against terror.

The Australian foreign minister’s visit is taking place in the backdrop of the Sino-Indian border face-off in Doklam, and increasing Indo-Australian naval cooperation. India’s concerns over Australia’s recent decision to abolish the 457 visa programme — under which a large number of Indians work in that country — may have also come up during Ms Bishop’s current visit.

Ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay tweeted, “Foreign Minister @JulieBishopMP signs Framework Agreement to join #International SolarAlliance.”

The MEA said, “The PM and Ms Bishop discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest. Prime Minister Modi welcomed Australia’s joining of the International Solar Alliance, and said that Australia’s membership will provide a great boost to the Alliance.”

In a statement in Canberra ahead of her visit to New Delhi, Ms Bishop had said ways to boost defence, security and trade ties would be explored during her visit to India.