Australian daily harps on Abbott, Modi ties

The "uranium agreement fits a broader narrative" in the ties between Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, said an opinion piece in an Australian daily Friday.

Abbott, who began his visit to India as prime minister Thursday, has said his country wants to make most of the "abundance of opportunities for business" in India.

Modi's recent statement while on his five-day visit to Japan that "India is open for foreign business having replaced red tape with red carpet seemed almost Abbott-esque", Chief political correspondent Mark Kenny said in the opinion piece in Canberra Times.

"For Abbott and Modi, whose popularity is also tied up in nationalism, the uranium agreement fits a broader narrative," the opinion piece said.

"Modi just returned from Japan for talks with Abbott's close ally, Shinzo Abe."

"Just as Abe is leading a revival in national morale in Japan allied to a sweeping reform program, Modi is asserting a new Indian pride based on modernisation. Both want the strength and national confidence to stare down China. Stitching up the uranium deal with Australia ticks all of those boxes being both economic and strategic," the daily said.

The piece went on to say that after building his own close ties with Abe, Abbott is building another alliance with Modi.

It is consistent with his refrain that he wants to strengthen all regional friendships.

According to the piece, Abbott's foreign policy activism, suggests that he has no compunction in overtly encouraging economic development, self-reliance, free trade, and muscular independence in the countries with whom Australia feels most comfortable.

"One imagines the same logic is underpinning the new bilateral relationship Abbott wants to forge with India which is a milestone in this Indian foray."