India, The New Centre of Gravity: Australia-India Relations under the Howard Government

Australia-India relations continue to puzzle foreign policy analysts. The reasons for stronger ties seem obvious, yet each successive Australian government has proved unable to forge the links necessary for more fruitful collaboration. Prime minister John Howard made two visits to India. His second visit in 2006-when he expressed unqualified enthusiasm for India's fast-growing economy and for the development of a new centre of gravity for the world, the emerging 'global middle class' of China and India-promised to change the language of engagement from neglect to partnership. This paper examines the context of the changing relationship, looks at the role of leadership in the formulation of foreign policy, and asks whether the momentum developed from Howard's visit was deep and strong enough to sustain the shocks ahead-the 2009 attacks on Indian students and the reversal of the decision on the sale of uranium-and to maintain a position for Australia in India's growing global engagement.