New Delhi: The issue of Sikh separatists and extremists in Australia and New Zealand is expected to figure during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tri-nation visit next week, as New Delhi is “confident” that these countries have “equally strong views on terrorism and violent extremism”.
“In all our international engagements, whether it is multilateral or bilateral, I think it is on record that we take strong positions against terrorism and violent extremism [incl. Sikh extremism],” Rudendra Tandon, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said Friday at a special briefing ahead of Modi’s travels to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
He added: “We do feel that the international community has to be continuously reminded that terrorism and violent extremism remain a serious threat to international peace and security.”
Tandon further said: “We have to repeat ourselves that terrorism is nothing short of a crime against humanity. These are discussions we have everywhere including with our close partners. I am quite confident that the countries the PM is visiting have equally strong views on terrorism and violent extremism.”
In recent years, a number of unauthorised “Khalistan referendums” have been held in both Australia and New Zealand in cities such as Melbourne and Auckland. Sikh separatist groups such as the Sikhs for Justice—designated as a terrorist organisation in India since 2019—have become active in these countries, raising security concerns for Indian authorities.
Most recently in November 2024, one such referendum was held in Auckland, which witnessed quite a number of participants.
Security discussions are expected to figure quite highly during Modi’s tri-nation visit which begins 6 July. The Prime Minister departs New Delhi for Jakarta, where he will hold bilateral discussions with President Prabowo Subianto on 7 and 8 July, before departing for Melbourne.
The Australian-leg of the visit begins on 8 July, and will include the third India-Australia annual summit. Modi will also witness a sports showcase at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and interact with sportspersons. The Indian leader will reach Auckland on 10 July and will hold meetings with his counterpart Christopher Luxon, before returning to India on 11 July.
The visit comes as India looks to deepen its engagement across the Indo-Pacific region, especially as the global geopolitical situation continues to evolve rapidly. There remains a perception that the US is withdrawing from the region. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited the national capital between 1 and 3 July, and the Indian Prime Minister was in Seychelles from 27 to 29 June, indicating the efforts New Delhi is placing on strengthening ties in the region.
“We do a series of engagements as part of our Act East policy, both multilaterally and bilaterally… We want to ensure that a rules based maritime order is maintained in the contiguous regions of the Indian Ocean. Our engagement with three countries are all underpinned by this thought process. This is the underlying theme with all our engagements,” explained Tandon.
He added: “We do look at trade, overall cooperation and the cultural connect. Emerging issues like critical minerals and maritime security, depending on the country, also arise. We structure the discussions depending on the relationship in a specific war.”
Indonesia – defence and security cooperation
In Indonesia, discussions are expected to revolve around economic security, defence and trade. Sabang port, the sensitive port project at the Western tip of Indonesia, is also expected to figure in the talks.
Tandon pointed out that there exists a “task force composed of experts and line ministries” looking at the feasibility of the Sabang port project, which was raised at the highest of levels during Modi’s standalone visit to Jakarta in 2018.
Defence is an “important part of the relationship” with Indonesia, added the Secretary (East). Trade is also expected to figure during the discussions, especially the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).
India has been pushing for a review in the trade deal with the regional bloc. New Delhi expects all ASEAN member-states to liberalise at least 80 percent of tariff lines on Indian exports.
Indonesia and Vietnam remain two major ASEAN economies that have so far not reached the figure, which has hampered the overall effectiveness of the trade agreement. The review of AITIGA is ongoing and expected to figure at some level during the visit.
Australia – New Zealand – Economic Security
The visits to Australia and New Zealand are expected to include interactions between Modi and the Indian community by Modi. The two countries are also important partners for India for trade. India and Australia have operationalised their comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA) as of 2022, while negotiations are ongoing for expanding the agreement.
New Delhi and Wellington signed a free trade agreement earlier this year, which is expected to be operationalised soon, as India looks to expand its trade ties with the countries of the region. New Delhi is also hopeful for a “logical conclusion” of the uranium deal with Australia.
On defence ties, Vishwesh Negi, Joint Secretary (Oceania) at the special briefing added that the “scale and frequency between militaries and defence officials have increased exponentially in the last few years”.
The expectation is that Modi’s meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese next week will allow both countries to expand defence ties into “newer areas of cooperation”, according to Negi.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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