Looking forward to my Perth visit: Jaishankar

New Delhi, Feb 3:External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green on Friday and discussed the bilateral partnership between the two countries. The EAM will also be heading to Perth for the Indian Ocean Conference 2024 later this year. “Glad to meet Australian High Commissioner Philip Green this afternoon. Spoke on the next steps in the India-Australia partnership. Look forward to my forthcoming visit to Perth for the Indian Ocean Conference 2024,” Jaishankar posted on X. Australian Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, announced last year that Australia will host the Indian Ocean Conference 2024 and it will be an opportunity to discuss practical solutions for the key challenges facing the region. The Indian Ocean Conference started in 2016 in Singapore featuring 30 countries. The sixth Indian Ocean Conference was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in May last year. In the last six years, the Conference has emerged as a consultative forum for countries in the region over regional affairs. The Indian Ocean Conference works towards bringing critical states and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).Last year, the two countries also held the India-Australia 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue. It was co-chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong.