The second India-Australia Virtual Summit was held virtually on March 21.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison took stock of progress made on various initiatives under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- The two sides elevated ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2020.
- The leaders discussed views on regional and international issues.
- Mr. Modi welcomed the announcement of the establishment of Center of Excellence for Critical and Emerging Technology Policy in Bangalore.
- Both Modi and Morrison spoke about the need to speedily conclude a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA) the two sides are negotiating, saying the pact is important for economic recovery and security.
Australia returns 29 artefacts stolen from India
- India has retrieved 29 stolen pieces of centuries-old artefacts from Australia.
- The returned artefacts include Shiva Bhairava, a 9th or 10th century sandstone sculpture from Rajasthan, the child saint Sambandar, a 12th century bronze statute from Tamil Nadu, and a painting of Shiva and Parvati from 1830-40 from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh. Some of these artefacts went missing over 53 years ago.
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