Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said he will visit India in January next year, describing it as another step in cementing New Delhi in the top tier of his country's partnerships.
Morrison said he would be visiting India, a partner in the Quad strategic bloc, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
''My visit will be another step in cementing India in the top tier of Australia's partnerships,'' Morrison said in a major foreign policy address to the Lowy Institute in Sydney.
''So I am honoured to accept the invitation of my friend Prime Minister Modi to visit India in January, including to deliver the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue,'' he said.
Morrison will be accompanied by a business delegation.
''This will bring the government and business together to pursue our India economic strategy that has captured the attention of our Indian partners and must now be realised,'' he said.
Morrison also announced that Australia and 15 regional neighbours hoped to conclude the regional free trade deal, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
"Last month we, our ASEAN partners and other nations in the region hoped to conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, embracing 16 economies with a combined population of 3.5 billion and combined GDP of USD 25.7 billion,'' Morrison said.
''The special importance of this agreement is that it will draw India more substantially into the Indo-Pacific economy,'' he added.
''India is a great success story of our region. A land of durable institutions and shared values,'' he said, calling India as ''a natural partner for Australia.''
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