PM Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese to watch 4th Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese will watch India and Australia lock horns in the fourth Test match in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023. After several media reports speculated that both PMs could travel to Ahmedabad to watch the fourth Test at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium, the development was confirmed on Friday. This will be the first time PM Modi will watch a match at the stadium named after him.

The series finale is set to be an exciting affair as India seeks victory to seal a 3-1 series victory. India suffered a nine-wicket loss in the third Test in Indore. Rohit Sharma and Co. are also hopeful of qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship final by winning the Ahmedabad Test. The presence of PM Modi and Australian PM Anthony will certainly make the showdown more exciting.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese to visit India

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Australia last week ostensibly to prepare for the visit to India by the Australian prime minister. There is no official announcement of the visit yet.

However, Albanese mentioned about his visit to India in a tweet after meeting Jaishankar on Saturday.

"It was wonderful to meet with @DrSJaishankar his morning ahead of my trip to India next month. We discussed our strategic partnership, economic opportunities and the people-to-people ties that enrich our nations," he tweeted. 

The people said expansion of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's growing military muscle-flexing in the region is expected to figure in the talks during the Australian prime minister's visit to India.

They said boosting trade, investment and critical minerals will figure high on the agenda of talks between Prime Minister Modi and Albanese.

The ties between India and Australia have been on an upswing in the last few years. The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) came into force in December and it is expected to facilitate significant expansion of two-way trade.

Defence and security ties between India and Australia have been on an upswing in the last few years.

(with PTI inputs)