The repatriation of a centuries-old Kartikeya idol from Australia underscores the importance of ‘civilisational diplomacy’ on India’s part. India and Australia have spent the past two decades discovering that they have more in common than cricket, the Commonwealth and a shared affection for the Indian Ocean. What began as a cautious strategic courtship has matured into one of the Indo-Pacific's most consequential partnerships, spanning defence, critical minerals, education,