(T.I.E)
Australia will announce initiatives worth about Rs 1,500 crore in areas including education, clean tech, critical minerals, space, foreign trade, skills, innovation, and defence exchanges as Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a virtual summit with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison on Monday. Sources said that an Australia-India young defence officers’ exchange programme will be launched on Monday, named after CDS General Bipin Rawat, who died in a helicopter crash in December last year. Australia will also announce the return of around 29 culturally significant artefacts to India during the summit.
Sources said that an early harvest agreement on economy and trade was likely to be signed towards the end of the month. A signing at the summit was unlikely. Australia has large lithium reserves and can be a reliable supplier of the critical mineral needed for electric vehicles and batteries. Mines minister Pralhad Joshi is expected to travel to Australia soon to firm up details to secure the supply chain
