GS 2: IR | Bilateral, regional & global groupings & agreements involving India &/or affecting India’s interests

Why in News?

• India and Australia signed five agreements to increase investment and improve cooperation in disability, agricultural research and education sectors. The agreements were signed when President Ram NathKovind met Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Sydney on November 22, 2018. President Ram NathKovind, who is on a two-nation trip is the first-ever Indian state head to visit Australia.

Five pacts agreements – Highlights:

• The first agreement will aim to improve the cooperation in the area of disability so that better service can be provided to the differently-abled people.
• The second agreement was signed between Invest India and Austrade which will facilitate bilateral investment between two countries.
• The Central Mine Planning and Design Institute, Ranchi, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation, Canberra signed the third agreement which will foster scientific collaboration and innovation between the organizations based in two countries.
• The fourth agreement was signed between the Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Guntur, and the University of Western Australia, Perth, for cooperation in researches related to agriculture and education. This agreement will encourage cooperation between two educational institutes based in two countries.
• The fifth agreement signed between the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi, and the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane will facilitate joint Ph.D. programmes.
• Besides this agreement, an announcement related to the release of Australia’s response to ‘Indian Economic Strategy’ was also made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
•   Indian Economic Strategy is a detailed blueprint for the transformation of the economic engagement.