Anthony Albanese has stressed the burgeoning relationship with India is one “between two nations” amid growing international scrutiny of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after his chief political rival was sentenced to two years’ jail and booted out of parliament.

India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi was convicted last week for “criminal defamation” after he said while campaigning in 2019 that “all thieves have Modi as a common surname”, a remark some claimed was a slur against the prime minister.