New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday extended congratulations to Australian Labor Party leader Richard Marles on his reappointment as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Australia.

Taking to his official handle on X, Singh posted, “Heartiest congratulations to my friend @RichardMarlesMP on his reappointment as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence for Australia. Looking forward to continuing our close cooperation to further strengthen bilateral defence ties under the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

This congratulatory message comes in the wake of the Australian federal election, where Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor Party recently secured a decisive victory. Anthony Albanese had secured a historic victory in the country’s general election, marking the first time in 21 years that an Australian prime minister has won a second consecutive three-year term.

Earlier on May 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a telephone conversation with Anthony Albanese and congratulated him on his historic re-election as the 32nd Prime Minister of Australia. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between the two countries. They noted that in its five years, the CSP has seen robust cooperation developing across a diverse range of sectors. They stressed on the role played by the vibrant Indian origin diaspora in cementing bilateral ties.

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global matters of mutual interest and reiterated their commitment to working together in promoting a free, open, stable, rules-based and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

Prime Minister invited PM Albanese to visit India including for the Annual Summit and the QUAD Summit to be hosted in India later in the year. The leaders agreed to remain in touch.

Meanwhile, Richard Marles, who was first elected to the House of Representatives for Corio, Victoria, in 2007, has held several key positions throughout his political career. His previous roles include Minister for Trade, Minister for Employment, and various parliamentary secretary positions. He also chaired the House Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Affairs.

Born in 1967 and raised in Geelong, Marles holds degrees in Law and Science (LLB Hons, BSc) from the University of Melbourne.

Australia’s federal election began with early voting on April 22, with around half of the 18 million registered voters were expected to cast their ballots before election day on May 3.

Voting in Australia is mandatory for all citizens aged 18 and above. The Australian Electoral Commission reported a record-high voter enrollment rate of 98.2 per cent for the May 3 election.

–IANS

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