Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar giving a speech at @UniMelb ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting this afternoon. I’ll tweet a few excerpts 1/ 
Jaishankar says the India-Australia relationship is much closer - it is "dramatically changing right in front of my eyes." Says India is growing in strength and its interests are widening - "I speak to you on behalf of a country which has clearly moved up the global ladder" 2/
Jaishankar stresses common interests and both countries then wraps up. Now questions. @Lisa_Singh asks him about his formulation that (in India) "nationalism leads to greater internationalism” 3/
The EAM says the evolving role of the Quad is an "indication the world is changing." The US has "done so much" which "fundamentally underpins" the world and secures stability. But it "cannot keep doing it. Certainly it can’t keep doing it by itself" 4/
J rejects the suggestion that the Quad is animated by a desire to push back against China. He says it’s wrong and also "a line being pushed by the Chinese." Interesting 5/
Jaishankar says that doesn't mean China's not a factor: "I'm not suggesting there’s no international relations at work. But I would not like (the Quad) to be reduced to that." Points to work Quad is going to roll out covid vaccines 6/
Jaishankar- "we are very circumspect about commenting on other countries (internal affairs). But we cannot remain completely agnostic or impervious ... because it does in many circumstances matter what that country is like" 7/
Gareth Evans now. He begins, god bless him, with a very brief speech. But then a good question- "will the Quad FMs discuss Myanmar? "Not just the need for assistance but the need for more heavy duty pressure" on the junta? Why hasn't India backed the push for sanctions? 8/
Jaishankar is frank. "Our dilemma is this. We have a complicated border (with Myanmar) with insurgents operating. One way to secure that border is by working with the government which means the military. So despite unfortunate development we can’t not work with them" 9/
He also complains that the global community has not always treated all juntas equally. He points back to the early 2000s when Musharraf was in power: "we had military generals to our west and east. One was sanctioned, the other was elevated to a major non NATO ally" 10/
Only one more question! That's a shame. And it's a slightly (forgive me) self-important one about the Indian diaspora. The event wraps up. Wish we'd had more opportunities for more 11/
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