Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott met President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
Welcoming Abbott, President Mukherjee said that India attaches importance to its relations with Australia and wants to take forward the bilateral engagement. He also said that the two countries can work together for common benefit in the Asian era.
President Mukherjee further said that India sees Australia as an important supplier of energy resources and a partner in ensuring its energy security and expressed his happiness over the co-operation in Civil Nuclear Energy, which is to be signed during Abbott's visit. He also thanked Australia for its support of India's candidature for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Describing India as an emerging democratic superpower, Abott said that Australia recognizes India's increasing importance in the world.