India-Aus trade ties strengthen, as human rights concerns sidelined

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been met with a warm welcome in Australia as he embarks on trade talks with the Australian Prime Minister. 

This comes as Human Rights Watch (HRW) is calling on PM Albanese to raise human rights concerns with Prime Minister Modi, citing his extremist right-wing Hindu nationalist party’s draconian laws and intimidation tactics impacting freedom of speech in India. HRW also pointed to the Modi Government’s policies and rhetoric perpetuating violence against marginalised communties.  

According to the Australian Associated Press, when Australia’s deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles was asked whether human rights should be on the agenda he said India was a large democracy that shared values with Australia. 

The Wire speaks with Democracy in Colour national director Neha Madhok about this.  

Image: Phoenix500 at English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons

Produced By: Anisha Pillarisetty

Featured In Story: National director Democracy in Colour Neha Madhok

First aired on The Wire, Thursday 25 May 2023