Canberra [Australia], October 9 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral assembly with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles on October 9.
Following the bilateral meetig, a Joint Statement of the Australia-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue was issued.
‘Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Richard Marles MP, welcomed Minister of Defence of India, Rajnath Singh, to Australia for the inaugural Australia-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue. The Dialogue mirrored unprecedented progress within the bilateral defence partnership and Ministers’ ambition to boost cooperation, following the 4 bilateral conferences between the Ministers because the elevation of the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020.
Ministers superior their Prime Ministers’ long-term imaginative and prescient for collaboration between the 2 international locations to boost collective energy, contribute to each international locations’ safety, and make an essential contribution to regional peace and safety. They mentioned a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to advance maritime cooperation, and appeared ahead to Prime Ministers renewing and strengthening the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.
Ministers dedicated to develop the bilateral defence structure and improve session and cooperation by conducting an annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue. Ministers welcomed the signing of the Australia-India Implementing Arrangement on Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation. They welcomed progress in direction of operationalising the Australia-India Implementing Arrangement on Air-to-Air Refuelling signed in 2024. Ministers highlighted nearer cooperation on info sharing.
Ministers had been happy the defence partnership now prolonged throughout all domains. Ministers welcomed the institution of Joint Staff Talks as a discussion board to progress joint workout routines, operations and interoperability throughout all domains. Australia welcomed India’s participation in Australia’s Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2025 and appeared ahead to India’s participation in 2027.
Ministers appreciated the rising frequency and complexity of defence workout routines and exchanges and the growing interoperability by implementation of the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement. They welcomed the Royal Australian Air Force’s participation within the Indian Air Force’s Exercise Tarang Shakti in 2024 in addition to the Royal Australian Navy’s and Indian Navy’s participation in navy-to-navy engagements in 2026. India welcomed Australia’s invitation for participation in submarine rescue train Black Carillon.
Ministers welcomed extra Indian college students on the Australian Defence College in 2026, and a place on the Australian Defence Force Academy in 2027 for the primary time.
Ministers underscored the strategic significance of defence industrial collaboration and engagement. They welcomed Australia’s first defence commerce mission to India from 7 to 10 October 2025 and the inaugural India Pavilion at Australia’s Land Forces Expo 2024 as reflecting development within the bilateral defence trade relationship. Ministers acknowledged the Australia-India Defence Industry Roundtable to be held in Sydney on 10 October. Both sides additionally agreed to pursue defence collaboration in up to date expertise, together with by the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research and Materiel. Australia thanked India for the provide of upkeep, restore and overhaul of Royal Australian Navy ships in Indian shipyards throughout their deployment to the Indian Ocean Region.
Ministers affirmed the significance of enhancing cooperation with regional companions to assist preserve a free, open, peaceable, secure and affluent Indo-Pacific. Ministers underscored their sturdy assist for freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded commerce within the area, and different lawful makes use of of the ocean in line with worldwide regulation, significantly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Ministers had been happy with the collaborative maritime area consciousness and anti-submarine warfare actions by Australian and Indian maritime patrol plane within the Indian Ocean. They additionally agreed to proceed plane deployment from one another’s territories to construct operational familiarity. Ministers welcomed the continued cooperation underneath the Australia-India-Indonesia trilateral format to handle widespread challenges.
Ministers welcomed the continued progress in defence cooperation amongst Australia, India, Japan and the United States, underscoring the rising strategic convergence among the many companions. They reaffirmed their dedication to enhancing collaboration on maritime area consciousness and appeared ahead to a second collaborative exercise on the margins of Exercise Malabar in November 2025. Australia and India expressed sturdy assist for initiatives that advance nearer maritime surveillance cooperation among the many 4 companions and welcomed the chance to watch the India-United States air train Cope India in 2025 for the primary time, alongside Japan.
Both sides famous with satisfaction the rising engagement between their respective Armies. Ministers reaffirmed their dedication to deepening army-to-army cooperation, significantly in amphibious workout routines and operations, and thru participation in workout routines akin to Exercise Puk Puk. Ministers welcomed the enhancement of Exercise Austrahind in each scope and complexity. They underscored the worth of sharing finest practices in rising and important domains akin to built-in air and missile defence, safe communications, uncrewed aerial techniques (UAS), counter-UAS, and particular operations by subject material professional exchanges.
Ministers acknowledged the participation of Indian Naval Ship Kadmatt in Papua New Guinea’s fiftieth Anniversary of Independence celebrations and port name in Fiji, in September 2025. The Deputy Prime Minister invited India to take part in future iterations of Australia’s Operation Render Safe.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles accepted the invitation of Defence Minister Singh to go to India for the Annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in 2026.’ (ANI)