NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's first official visit to Australia, where he will preside over the inking of three agreements, is 'truly historic', said High Commissioner of Australia to India Philip Green on Monday.
Green said, "It marks the first visit to Australia by an Indian Minister of Defence in twelve years, and the first by a Minister of Defence in Prime Minister Modi's government."
The High Commissioner described the visit as a unique opportunity towards deepening strategic ties. "India is an indispensable security partner for Australia and our defence cooperation delivers tangible effects to uphold Indo-Pacific stability. This visit is a unique opportunity to deepen our defence partnership, including through enhancing strategic dialogue and information-sharing, and increasing the complexity of our exercises," he said.
As The New Indian Express reported earlier, the ongoing upswing in India-Australia defence ties is set to get a fillip with Rajnath's two-day visit on October 9-10 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia Richard Marles.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Sunday said, "During the visit, three agreements are planned to be signed, which will further enhance cooperation in the areas of information sharing, the maritime domain, and joint activities."
A significant document is also planned to be brought out during the visit, said a source, adding, "A joint Maritime Security Collaboration roadmap to advance our defence cooperation over the next decade is being worked out."
The other key highlight of the Defence Minister's visit will be the bilateral discussions with Marles. The visit comes at a historic moment when India and Australia commemorate five years of the establishment of the India Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
The meeting between Rajnath and Marles will lead to a renewed and strengthened Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.
It was in 2009 that the Prime Ministers of the two countries had committed to a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation aimed at strengthening cooperation in a wide range of security and related areas including counter-terrorism, defence, disarmament and non-proliferation and maritime security.
Rajnath will chair a business roundtable in Sydney, which will be attended by industry leaders from both sides. He will also call on other national leaders of Australia. The visit will provide an important opportunity for both sides to explore new and meaningful initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and the defence partnership.
Summarising the recent strengthening of bilateral ties, Green said, "This is the fastest uptick in a major power relationship Australia has ever experienced. The shift in the India-Australia defence partnership is truly seismic: there is more collaboration and activities than ever before, and at a greater level of complexity."
There has been progress in ties, ranging from trade and investment, education, sports, renewable energy, and especially defence. In the past decade, annual defence exercises have tripled and this has encompassed all three services (Army, Navy and Air Forces) of the two countries. While there were 11 meetings and activities in 2014, it touched 33 in 2024.
India and Australia signed the Air-to-Air Refueling Implementing Arrangement, TNIE reported in November 2024, which has elevated interoperability between the air forces as it enables the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the Indian Air Force to conduct air-to-air refueling.
During his visit, Rajnath will experience a live air-to-air refueling capability demonstration on a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker.
India and Australia are working towards industry participation in defence and Australia's first defence trade mission to India is visiting this week, with events in Chennai and New Delhi.