Australia PM Turnbull meets Modi, says ties with India will be stronger than before

Visiting Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Monday said his country will work more closely with India in order to secure stronger ties.

“Our ties are strong and will be stronger because of this visit,” Turnbull told the media after his ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapti Bhawan.

“Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi is leading this most remarkable nation on an extraordinary journey of growth and development,” he said.

“The achievements of India are the admiration of the world,” Turnbull said, adding: “We in Australia look forward to working even more closely than we have done in the past.”

He arrived on Sunday evening on a four-day state visit to India.

“We are bound together to ties of history of values of people. We look forward, Prime Minister (Modi) and I, to making that even stronger in this visit,” Turnbull added.

Turnbull was received by Modi at Rastrapati Bhawan and was then accorded the ceremonial guard of honour in the forecourt of the presidential residence.

This is Turnbull’s first bilateral visit to India since he assumed office in September 2015.

His predecessor, Tony Abbott had visited India in September 2014 and this was followed by Modi’s visit to Australia in November that year.

Modi will hold a bilateral summit with Turnbull later in the day following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed.