Australian Minister Anne Aly to visit India to strengthen regional ties

Australia’s Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs, Anne Aly, will visit India and Bangladesh this week to bolster regional relations, reports 24brussels.

According to a release from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Aly will engage with senior political leaders and multi-faith representatives in India to enhance Australia’s growing people-to-people connections. Approximately one million Australians of Indian ancestry now reside in Australia, with these community linkages forming a crucial element of the bilateral relationship.

During her visit, Aly will also address an audience at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, highlighting the significant contributions of Indian-Australian communities to shaping Australia’s multicultural identity and reinforcing ties between the two nations. This visit aligns with Australia’s broader strategy to cultivate meaningful partnerships in the Indian Ocean region, underpinned by mutual respect, shared values, and inclusive development.

Prior to her trip to India, Minister Aly will visit Bangladesh to unveil the new Australia-Bangladesh Development Partnership Plan 2025-2030, which demonstrates Australia’s ongoing commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s transition towards a democratic and inclusive future. While in Bangladesh, Aly will tour the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, which house over 1.1 million displaced Rohingya individuals in a complex humanitarian crisis.

Aly will observe first-hand the support provided by Australia to assist both the displaced populations and their Bangladeshi hosts. To reaffirm its commitment to the humanitarian response, the Australian Government will allocate an additional USD 370 million over the next three years for assistance to Myanmar and displaced Rohingya communities, bringing its total support to over USD 1.26 billion since 2017.

“These visits are a demonstration of the Albanese Government’s commitment to working with our Indian Ocean partners to shape a peaceful, stable and prosperous region,” Minister Aly stated in the announcement.