Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Chairman of the Council of Member States of International IDEA Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday met Australia's High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi. The meeting aimed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in election management and capacity building of election officials.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to deepening collaboration in areas related to election administration, institutional learning and professional training of election personnel. “The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment to advancing the IICDEM 2026 agenda, with a focus on strengthening cooperation in election management and capacity building of election staff,” said the ECI.
The discussions centred on enhancing cooperation through the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), with particular emphasis on improving election management practices and expanding opportunities for capacity building of election staff, said the officials.
The ECI later shared photographs of the meeting on its official social media platforms, highlighting the engagement between the two sides. The interaction reflected India's continuing efforts to strengthen international partnerships in the field of democratic governance and electoral administration.
As Chair of the Council of Member States of International IDEA for 2026, Kumar has been engaging with representatives of member countries to promote cooperation on electoral processes, knowledge sharing and institutional development. The meeting with the Australian High Commissioner came a day after Kumar held similar discussions with Benin's Ambassador to India, Erick Jean-Marie Zinsou, at the Election Commission headquarters.
While Monday's meeting also focused on cooperation in election management and training of poll staff, Tuesday's engagement specifically reaffirmed India and Australia's commitment to advancing the IICDEM 2026 agenda through closer collaboration.
The Election Commission said the discussions underscored the importance of sharing expertise and strengthening institutional capacities to support credible and efficient electoral systems.