'Namaste Australia!': EAM Jaishankar lands in Brisbane on first leg of his two-nation tour

Brisbane: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar arrived in Brisbane on Sunday, marking the beginning of his two-nation visit to Australia and Singapore from November 3 to November 8.

In Australia, he will inaugurate India's fourth consulate and attend the 15th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue (FMFD).

Upon arrival, EAM Jaishankar posted on X: "Namaste Australia! Landed in Brisbane today. Look forward to productive engagements over the next few days to take forward the India-Australia Dosti."

EAM Jaishankar's first leg in Australia will continue until November 7. During his stay, he will co-chair the 15th FMFD alongside his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra, where the two will discuss ways to bolster bilateral ties, focusing on mutual interests across the Indo-Pacific.

Previously, Jaishankar met Wong in Tokyo in July ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

"A great start this morning meeting Australian FM Senator Penny Wong in Tokyo," he posted on X at the time, noting discussions to further enhance cooperation in security, trade, and education.

While in Australia, EAM Jaishankar will also deliver the keynote address at the opening session of the 2nd Raisina Down Under conference, scheduled to take place in the Australian Parliament House, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

His itinerary includes meetings with Australian leaders, parliamentarians, members of the Indian diaspora, as well as business, media, and think tank representatives, the statement read.

Following his Australian visit, EAM Jaishankar will travel to Singapore on November 8, where he will participate in the 8th Roundtable of the ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks.

He will also meet the leadership of Singapore to review the close partnership between the two countries and explore avenues to further enhance the bilateral relationship, the MEA statement read.