Australian-Indian Relations - Essay Example

n this very arc of instability. As a result, Australia may be out of touch with the majority of issues in Southeast Asia, and because it has intervened but failed to cultivate these island nations toward a lasting peace, may have no bridge into the politics of South Asia or even the wonted East Asia region. From this perspective it may appear that Australia's relations with India and Pakistan are limited to the maximum. For decades, the reality has been just that, as the Cold War and Australia's association with the US have kept it at a distance from India.

When India began testing nuclear weapons, it seems that Australia became even more opposed to deepening its relations with India due to India's failure to sign the non-proliferation treaty. However, India's relations with India at the present time due run much deeper than may be expected. For a brief period, the Australian government had agreed to supply India with uranium, which was an excellent deal for India considering Australia's vast holdings of uranium. Beyond simply cricket and uranium, the nations also shared a naval presence in the Indian Ocean as well as a shared diplomatic, economic, and political interest in the bulk of the Asian continent that lies to the east of India and to the northwest of Australia?

region that neither country had given much attention to in decades past. Today, India's relationship with Australia falls into several areas. The first and foremost is a history of association with the British Empire, which in many ways paved the way for other aspects of the relationship. The English language is spoken in Australia, and probably spoken by even more people in India than the entire population of Australia combined. Furthermore, the two countries are the two largest democracies in the region surrounding East Asia, and particularly China as well as the Indian Ocean.

Both have had growing ties with the United States during the years of the Bush administration and the War on Terror, and thus share many common military and defense goals? precursor for Australians brief increase of uranium supply for India. India and Australia are also economic partners, as both have strong and quickly developing economies. India, with its especially fast development, relies on Australia for the supply of raw materials, while Australia profits from such a supply and thus finds that its economy is strengthened by trade with India more than it is by other countries in South and Southeast Asia.

Finally, India offers a democratic and secure alternative to trading with China, which has been known for nuclear proliferation. India and Australia also share an educational exchange, as many Indians look to Australia for English-speaking institutions of study, while Australians have sought to expand the existence of South Asian studies programs that focus on India. Indeed, the evidence exists to show that the relationship between India and Australia is one of note and great potential. The two countries recognize many common interests, and while they do not directly benefit one another's top agendas, they do have a mutually beneficial existence in regards to regional security, trade, immigration, education, and politics.

Although these may be many aspects of an overall largely