Chief of the Australian Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart is on a four-day official visit to India with a series of high-level meetings aimed at deepening defence cooperation and reinforcing military-to-military engagement between the two nations.
General Stuart met with India’s Chief of Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, on Monday, where discussions centred on enhancing bilateral defence ties, regional stability, and global peace. The two leaders share a professional history, having trained together at the United States Army War College in 2015.
The Australian Army Chief was briefed on India’s security perspective and Operation Sindoor — a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack — as well as recent advancements in technology integration within the Indian Army.
During the visit, General Stuart also met with senior Indian defence leaders, including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
The programme began with a wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial, followed by a ceremonial Guard of Honour at South Block. On the sidelines, the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army held discussions with the Indian Army’s Subedar Major on the role of junior leaders, troop challenges, and mitigation strategies.
General Stuart’s itinerary includes visits to the 50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade in Agra, the Taj Mahal, and the National Defence College in New Delhi, where he will deliver a keynote address. He will also travel to Pune to interact with the Southern Command and address cadets at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, on leadership, joint training, and cooperation.
The Indian Ministry of Defence said the visit “reaffirms the strong and growing India–Australia defence partnership” and reflects both nations’ shared commitment to a stable, secure, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
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