In meet with Modi, Australian PM says Russia must be held accountable

Russia needs to be held accountable for the tragic loss of lives in Ukraine following its 'terrible' invasion of that country, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday at a virtual summit with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

In his opening remarks, Morrison also referred to the recent meeting of the leaders of the Quad countries on the Ukraine crisis and said it provided an opportunity to discuss the 'implications and consequences' of the developments for the Indo-Pacific region.

"We are obviously distressed at the terrible situation in Europe though our focus is very much on Indo-Pacific," he said.

In his comments, Modi said significant progress has been witnessed in ties between India and Australia in diverse sectors in the last few years.

He also said the early conclusion of talks for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement will be key for boosting economic ties.

Our collaboration reflects our commitment to free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, he said.

Modi said cooperation between India and Australia was increasing at a rapid pace in areas of critical minerals, water management and renewable energy.

"I am happy that we are establishing a mechanism of the annual summit between the two countries," he added.