Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday commended Australia's decision to bar children under the age of 16 from using major social media platforms, describing the country's efforts to regulate the digital ecosystem and shield young users as an example from which India and other nations could draw important lessons.
Addressing the Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit in Melbourne, Modi praised Australia's reforms in information technology laws and its focus on online safety, particularly initiatives designed to protect children from the adverse effects of social media.
“The way you are bringing changes in laws related to information technology and social media, and working to protect society, is highly inspiring for the world. We are learning a lot from your efforts and taking many lessons from them,” PM Modi said while addressing a gathering attended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other leaders.
His remarks came as Australia presses ahead with one of the world's strictest social media regulatory frameworks, requiring major platforms to stop users below the age of 16 from opening accounts. The legislation seeks to address growing concerns surrounding online harm, cyberbullying and the impact of social media on children's mental health.
The Prime Minister's comments also come at a time when similar proposals are gathering momentum in India. Karnataka has recently moved to prohibit social media access for children under 16, while Andhra Pradesh has indicated that it is examining the possibility of introducing comparable restrictions.
During his address, Modi also highlighted the importance of young people in strengthening India-Australia relations, saying increased engagement between the youth of both countries was creating a model with the potential to benefit the wider world.
“What is particularly encouraging is that our younger generations are growing together. The warmth, welcome, and respect that Indian youth have received here is remarkable. The coming together and growth of the youth of our two countries is becoming a major laboratory for the world, one that can have a very positive impact on this entire century,” he said.
Emphasising the depth of the bilateral partnership, Modi referred to a well-known analogy commonly used in India.
“As you rightly said, if one is added to one, it becomes two. But when one stands alongside another, it becomes eleven. In the truest sense, today India and Australia are standing together. Therefore, one next to one is not becoming two; one next to one is becoming eleven,” he said, drawing applause from the audience.
The Prime Minister said the relationship between India and Australia was entering a new phase driven by expanding cooperation in trade, defence, technology, space and maritime security. He added that the partnership was well placed to make meaningful contributions to global progress because of the similarities shared by the two countries, while identifying emerging sectors such as maritime security and outer space as areas offering substantial scope for future collaboration.
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