India-Australia to start arts, culture and sports exchange programmes

New Delhi: The Prime Ministers of India and Australia noted that arts, culture and sports can be powerful forces for bringing people together and called for closer and more intensified exchanges. The exchange will be in in the fields of culture and creative arts, including visiting exhibitions and professional training and exchanges. They welcomed the establishment of ICCR Chairs of Indian Studies in five Universities in Australia to promote academic and student exchanges and Australia’s support in the establishment of a Nalanda University Chair in Environmental Studies. They also welcomed the signing of an MoU on Sports Cooperation that would facilitate greater exchanges, including on sports training. The Prime Ministers welcomed progress on negotiations for an Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons and looked forward to its early conclusion. Agreements: The following bilateral memoranda of understanding were signed in the presence of the two Prime Ministers: i. Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy ii. MOU on cooperation in Sport iii. Renewal of MOU on cooperation in the field of Water Resources Management iv. MoU on Cooperation in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET)