PM Modi holds telephonic conversation with Australian counterpart, offers India's unstinted support amid bushfire crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison during which he offered India's unstinted support to Australia and its people facing unprecedented bushfire crisis.

The Prime Minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences on behalf of all Indians on the damage to life and property in Australia due to the natural calamity, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Expressing his satisfaction at the progress in bilateral relations in recent years, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India's commitment to strengthen its strategic partnership with Australia. He stated that to this end, he looked forward to welcoming Morrison in India on a state visit at a mutually convenient time later in the year.

Morrison's visit to India, slated from January 14 to January 16, has been cancelled due to extraordinary circumstances of the bushfires in Australia, diplomatic sources said.

Wildfires have wreaked havoc in parts of Australia for months. The Australian Prime Minister was forced to cut short a holiday to Hawaii just before Christmas following the death of two volunteer firefighters.

During the telephonic conversation, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his best wishes to Morrison and the people of Australia for the rest of the year 2020.