Today, as India celebrates its 75th Independence day, Australia recognises it as one of the most important Indo-Pacific partners. The relationship between the two nations is characterised by growing people-to-people links and close socio-economic cooperation supported by the governments.
Diplomatic relations were established between the two nations when the Consulate General of India was first opened as a Trade Office in Sydney in 1941. In March 1944, Lieutenant-General Iven Mackay was appointed Australia’s first High Commissioner to India and soon, in 1945, India’s first High Commissioner to Australia Sir Ragunath Paranjype arrived in Canberra.
Here’s a brief look at the Australia and India relationship through selected images from our shared history and engagement.
Photo: Indian hockey team (1938) – Members of the Indian hockey team at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Photo: The last gift made by the late Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was shown to the Australian Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, in Canberra. The gift is the Nehru Challenge Shield for the University of Adelaide Debating Club. A spokesman for the Indian High Commission in Australia said that the gift may set a pattern for similar torphies to be presented to universities all over the world – the Indian High Commissioner in Australia, Shri B K Massand (right) and Sir Robert Menzies, examine the shield in Sir Robert’s office in Parliament House, Canberra [photographic image] / photographer, Michael Brown (1964).
Photo: Presentation of Credentials – Sir Arthur Tange – India (13 May 1965) – Sir Arthur Harold Tange, High Commissioner-designate of Australia, presenting his Letter of Commission to the President of India, Dr Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishan, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, 13 May 1965.
Photo: John Gorton with Indira Gandhi (21 May 1968) – The Australian Prime Minister, John Gorton (left), and Mrs Bettina Gorton (right), with Indira Gandhi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia, at a reception in her honour at the Indian High Commission.
Photo: Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi with Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke in Canberra (1986).
Photo: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Alexander Downer, visits India (1) (23 April 2002) – Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Alexander Downer, with Indian Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in New Delhi on 23 April 2002.
Photo: Prime Minister John Howard and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh discussed Australian uranium exports to India (March 2006).
Photo: The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Smt. Sushma Swaraj meeting the Prime Minister of Australia, Ms. Julia Gillard, in New Delhi (October 17, 2012).
Photo: Prime Minister being received by Mr Campbell Newman, Premier of Queensland on his arrival in Brisbane (November 2014).
Photo: Prime Ministers writes his message at the Agro Robot at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (November 2014).
Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull at the Akshardham Temple in New Delhi (April 2017).
Photo: Prime Ministers Narendra Modi with his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison ahead of the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Washington (September 2021).
Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Ausrtralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the QUAD Summit in Japan (May 2022).
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has sent his wishes on India’s 75th Independence Day: “I have fond memories of my travels to India, and remain strongly committed to deepening our partnership in the spirit of respect, friendship and cooperation….We also give thanks for the contribution of our Indian-Australian community to our society, to our culture, to our country, and to the links between our nations.With these thoughts in mind, I wish all those marking India’s Independence Day a wonderful celebration.”
