gent ▁strateg ic ▁pers pect ives ▁during ▁the ▁Cold ▁War , ▁in ▁recent ▁years ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁much ▁closer ▁security ▁relations , ▁including ▁a ▁J oint ▁Dec laration ▁on ▁Security ▁Co operation ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Rec ent ▁vis its ▁by ▁Indian ▁and ▁Australian ▁prime ▁minister s , ▁such ▁as ▁Tony ▁Abb ott ' s ▁visit ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁Nar endra ▁Mod i ' s ▁visit ▁to ▁Australia ▁- ▁the ▁latter ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁by ▁an ▁Indian ▁prime ▁minister ▁in ▁ 2 8 ▁years , ▁and ▁Mal col m ▁Turn b ull ' s ▁visit ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁have ▁continued ▁to ▁progress ▁the ▁relationship . ▁ ▁Trade ▁ ▁Econom ic ▁relations ▁ ▁While ▁India ▁was ▁Australia ' s ▁first ▁major ▁trad ing ▁partner ▁with ▁imports ▁through ▁the ▁East ▁India ▁Company , ▁exports ▁from ▁Australia ▁to ▁India ▁dates ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁when ▁coal ▁from ▁Sydney ▁and ▁horses ▁from ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁were ▁export ed ▁to ▁India . ▁, ▁bil ater al ▁trade ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁countries ▁tot aled ▁A $ 2 1 . 9 ▁billion , ▁having ▁grown ▁from ▁A $ 4 . 3 ▁billion ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁Australian ▁prime ▁minister ▁Mal col m ▁Turn b ull ▁said ▁Australia ▁and ▁India ' s ▁$ 2 0 ▁billion ▁two - way ▁trade ▁was ▁" a ▁fraction ▁of ▁what ▁we ▁should