At the inaugural Australia–India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in Canberra, Australia welcomed India’s offer to provide maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for Royal Australian Navy ships at Indian shipyards during their deployments to the Indian Ocean region—a move seen as a significant step in deepening the defence partnership.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles also warmly received his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, underscoring in a joint statement the growing cooperation between the two countries across all domains of defence.
The dialogue highlighted progress since the elevation of the Australia–India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020, with both ministers agreeing to hold annual meetings to expand consultation and collaboration.
Key agreements included the Australia–India Implementing Arrangement on Mutual Submarine Rescue Support, and progress on the 2024 Air-to-Air Refuelling arrangement.
Ministers also discussed a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap, closer information sharing, and joint exercises. India is set to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2025 and 2027, while Australian forces have been involved in Indian exercises including Tarang Shakti and navy-to-navy engagements. Submarine rescue cooperation and staff exchanges at Australian defence institutions were also announced.
The talks underscored defence industrial collaboration, with Australia’s first defence trade mission to India this October and the upcoming Defence Industry Roundtable in Sydney.
Ministers also committed to collaboration in contemporary defence technologies, maintenance support for Royal Australian Navy ships, and broader regional cooperation to ensure a free and stable Indo-Pacific.
Both sides reaffirmed support for freedom of navigation and joint maritime domain awareness, including trilateral cooperation with Indonesia and strategic convergence with the United States and Japan, particularly in exercises such as Malabar and Cope India.
Army-to-army engagement will continue, with expanded amphibious and integrated operations, alongside exchanges on emerging technologies like uncrewed systems and missile defence.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles accepted Minister Singh’s invitation to India for the next Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in 2026, cementing the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.
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