I am honoured to be here today on the newly-commissioned, Indian-designed and manufactured INS Vikrant at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi.

My visit reflects my government’s commitment to place India at the heart of Australia’s approach to the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

While here, I have had the great pleasure of meeting with the talented and highly professional men and women of India’s Navy.

It made me reflect that strong defence relationships are forged over time and by many.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much. This is the beginning of a new day on what has been an exceptionally successful visit up to this point. I'm sure that today will reinforce that successful building of relationships between Australia and India. We've got a busy program today. We begin with a ceremonial welcome from Prime Minister Modi. I do thank him for the personal way in which he has engaged with me so far on this visit.

The Albanese Government welcomes the appointment of Tim Thomas as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Australia-India Relations.

The Centre, to open later this year, will work across government, industry, academia and the community to build greater understanding of the Australia-India relationship and support new opportunities for collaboration.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister Narendra Modi today agreed to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between Australia and India at the Annual Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi.

The leaders announced their intention for the soonest possible conclusion of the ambitious Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which will build on the landmark trade agreement signed last year. The CECA will be a transformational deal that will create new jobs and opportunities in both countries.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thank you very much. I was very pleased to meet Prime Minister Modi again after our meetings at the G20 and the East Asia Summit last year. And I look forward very much to hosting Prime Minister Modi in Australia for the Quad Leaders’ Summit in May and then returning to India in September for the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The relationship with India is multifaceted.

Students, faculty, Australian alumni, distinguished guests.

Namaskar.

It is such an honour to be here at what is not just one of India’s most prestigious centres of higher education … but a place of world renown, and one that is publicly run and funded.

Professor Banerjee, Dr Saran and everyone at IIT-Delhi and the Observer Research Foundation — thank you so much for hosting this afternoon.

This is my third visit to India, but my first as Prime Minister. The first, I hope, of many.

1. At the invitation of Honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of Australia the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP paid a State Visit to India from 8 to 11 March 2023. Prime Minister Albanese was accompanied by Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Honourable Don Farrell, Minister for Resources, the Honourable Madeleine King MP, a high-level official delegation and a large business delegation. Prime Minister Albanese visited Ahmedabad, Mumbai and New Delhi on his first bilateral visit to India.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: There are three issues that I'll raise this morning. Firstly, today is International Women's Day and I'm very proud to lead the first Australian government ever made up of a majority of women. 54 women in our caucus of 103 members. And it's no accident that the government has already made significant reforms to advance the interests of women and therefore advance the interests of Australia. Paid Parental Leave legislation passed this week.

NAT LOCKE, HOST: Welcome to the studio the Prime Minister of our fair country, Anthony Albanese. Welcome back.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be here. Nice intro music. The anthem, how about that?

SHAUN MCMANUS, HOST: It is. Standing to attention for you, Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER: Except you're not actually standing.

SHAUN: I should have. I do apologise.

Good evening, everyone.

Khem cho.

I am very pleased to be here in India.

It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge that Deakin University will be the first overseas university approved to establish a branch campus in India.

It’s a great honour for Deakin University – and for Australia, too.

The campus will be built at the new GIFT district not far from here, and will offer students the opportunity to study cyber security and business analytics with Deakin.