Prime minister Narendra Modi and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison will hold the second India-Australia virtual summit on Monday. The announcement was made by external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi at a media briefing. The two leaders are expected to focus on a number of issues, including bilateral ties, education, migration, trade, among others. The main focus, though, will be on Ukraine.

Morrison in a statement on Friday said, “We'll discuss deepening our trade and investment relationship, and harnessing new economic opportunities to support our mutual economic recovery and growth.”

He further added, “We will also discuss a range of regional and multilateral issues, including the situation in Ukraine and its implications for the Indo-Pacific and Myanmar.”

On Thursday, Bagchi said that the leaders will take stock of progress made on various initiatives under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and also pave the way forward on new initiatives and enhanced cooperation in a diverse range of sectors between the two countries.

He had also said that the two leaders will express views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Bagchi also said that the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (IACSP) has maintained the momentum of an upward trajectory and that both countries are collaborating closely with each other.

India and Australia's ties have been strengthening over the past two years. In June 2020 the two countries signed a deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support. Australia was part of the Malabar naval exercise hosted by India.

After the Covid-19 first lockdown, PM Modi and his Australian counterpart had met in Washington, DC in the US in September. The meeting was on the lines of the Quad Leaders' Summit. The two leaders had jointly launched the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) in Glasgow in November.

(With inputs from agencies)