Labor calls for more Australia-India ties

The opposition's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong is set to outline her party's position at the India-Australia leadership dialogue in Melbourne on Monday.

"Australia's relationship with India is central to the region we want and we have a strong stake in each other's prosperity and security," she will say.

Senator Wong says Australia shares democratic values, growing economic and business links, and converging strategic interests.

"India and Australia can give form to these converging interests not only through inclusive regional institutions that promote economic integration and resilience," she will say.

"But also by building a partnership based on strengthening each other, rather than a series of transactions viewed only through the prism of strategic competition."

The senior Labor frontbencher argues Australia must do more than simply navigating the slipstream of great power competition, with the Indo-Pacific the focal point of disruption and competition.

"We must do what we can to shape the region we want."

She describes India a crucial part of the multipolar region Australia wants, while also cautioning against "glib" analysis that India is the new China.

Senator Wong wants to boost Australia's literacy of India.

"More broadly, it is clear that Australia's broader understanding of India -- beyond foreign policy, academic and business circles -- is shallow," the draft speech says.

"We need the conversation about our ties to go beyond the three C's -- cricket, curry and the Commonwealth."

China has dominated foreign affairs debate in recent years, with diplomatic tensions and booming trade central themes.

"Too often the foreign policy discussion is focused on one country -- like China or the US -- while at other times it is framed as a binary between China and the US," Senator Wong will say.

Australian Associated Press