India-Australia Relations: Quad, Trade, and Resources

TOPIC CLASSIFICATION

Subject: International Relations - Bilateral Relations
Sub-topic: India-Australia Relations - Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2020), Quad (India-Australia-US-Japan), Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA - 2022), CECA (Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement - under negotiation), Defence (Joint Exercises - AUSINDEX, Malabar, Pitch Black, Kakadu), Critical Minerals (Lithium, Cobalt, REEs for clean energy), Nuclear Cooperation (Civil Nuclear Agreement - 2015), Education (Ganges-Brahmaputra Scholarship, Australia-India Education Council), Diaspora (1M+ Indian diaspora in Australia, 120,000 Indian students), Indo-Pacific Vision (Freedom of Navigation, Maritime Security, ASEAN centrality), Technology (Quad Tech Network, India-Australia Cyber Cooperation), Cricket and Cultural Ties
Mains GS Paper-II: International Relations - India's relations with key Indo-Pacific partners - Quad, trade, and strategic cooperation.

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EXAMINER REASONING

India-Australia relations have transformed from distant partners to close strategic allies in a decade. Prelims tests: ECTA (2022), AUSINDEX (bilateral naval exercise), Malabar (Quad naval exercise), Pitch Black (multilateral air force exercise), Quad (2007 - revived 2017), critical minerals (Australia is a key source), Indian diaspora in Australia (1M+), INFRA (India-Australia Infrastructure and Connectivity Fund). Mains demands: (a) strategic convergence - both share concerns about China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific - Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) - Australia's 2023 Defence Strategic Review (prioritisation of Indo-Pacific)...