Australian ministers won’t comment on media reports that Indian spies were secretly expelled

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A senior Australian government minister says the bilateral relationship with India is good and has improved in recent years, but declined to comment on reports that two Indian spies were secretly expelled from Australia four years ago. Treasurer Jim Chalmers was asked during a television interview Wednesday whether India can be considered Australia’s friend after Australian news media and The Washington Post reported the two operatives’ quiet expulsion. Chalmers told Australian Broadcasting Corp., “I don’t want to get into those kinds of operational issues in any way.” Australia’s prime minister and foreign minister have declined to comment on the reports. An Australian spy agency had reported that spies were expelled in 2020, but did not reveal the country they worked for.