ABSTRACT
The end of the Cold War, the incremental Indo-US rapprochement con-
sequent upon that event, the liberalization of the Indian economy, a rapidly
growing trading relationship and like-minded attitudes on democratic and
liberal values should in theory have opened the way for a more substantial
relationship between India and Australia. Yet the relationship has been at
times difficult, such as following India’s nuclear detonations in 1998, and
remains relatively low-key-even fickle. Indeed, since the end of the Cold
War, the relationship with India has been one ‘in search of substance’.1
