'Indian spies' allegation: Aus PM Albanese says such matters raised 'privately'

Washington: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said matters like the expulsion of "spies” are raised "privately" when asked if an incident involving Indian citizens will come up when he meets his counterpart Narendra Modi at the Quad summit.

Albanese was replying to a specific question from the media ahead of the meeting on Saturday in Delaware being attended by him and leaders from India, the US and Japan.

The reported incident took place in 2020 and came to light in April this year.

He was asked what would he be asking Modi to "cease and desist from that kind of spying on Australian soil".

Albanese said, "Well, what I do is act diplomatically and have those discussions, and that will, no doubt, be something that is raised." "But the relationship between Australia and India is a very strong one. I'll be talking with Prime Minister Modi about our Comprehensive Economic Partnership, we want to see concluded. We have had increased economic relations between our two great nations," Albanese said in Philadelphia on Thursday.

Answering a related question, he said: "What I do is, I raise issues privately – is how that we deal with things diplomatically, and I'll continue to do so." According to reports, Australia expelled two Indian spies in 2020 for allegedly trying to "steal secrets" about sensitive defence projects and airport security.

While The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald said two Indian spies were booted out, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) did not mention any number.