NEW DELHI: India and Australia on Thursday, apart from holding the inaugural Australia-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue, took multiple steps to strengthen the bilateral defence relations including the signing of three agreements and a sector specific roadmap.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles which resulted in a joint statement. Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, briefly joined the meeting.
The talks culminated in the signing of three key agreements: an Agreement on Information Sharing, an MoU on Submarine Search and Rescue Cooperation and Terms of Reference on the establishment of Joint Staff Talks.
As per the joint statement, the Dialogue reflected "unprecedented progress in the bilateral defence partnership and Ministers' ambition to enhance cooperation, following the four bilateral meetings between the Ministers since the elevation of the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020."
Significant for the ties, India-Australia confirms to hold the defence ministers dialogue annually. "Ministers committed to expand the bilateral defence architecture and enhance consultation and cooperation by conducting an annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue.", Australia said.
The Thursday discussion also involved a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to advance maritime cooperation, and looked forward to Prime Ministers renewing and strengthening the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.
The defence ties have witnessed expansion in all domains involving the Army, Navy and the Air Forces, apart from the two Ministries of Defence. There has been, as appreciated by the two ministers, increase in frequency and complexity of defence exercises and exchanges and the increasing interoperability through implementation of the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement.
The news of air to air refuelling agreement was reported by The New Indian Express in November last year.
The joint statement said that both sides also agreed to pursue defence collaboration in contemporary technology, including through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research and Materiel. Australia thanked India for the offer of maintenance, repair and overhaul of Royal Australian Navy ships in Indian shipyards during their deployment to the Indian Ocean Region.
"Ministers affirmed the importance of enhancing cooperation with regional partners to help maintain a free, open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Ministers underscored their strong support for freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded trade in the region, and other lawful uses of the sea consistent with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."
The two sides also discussed the ongoing collaborations, and the "Ministers were pleased with the collaborative maritime domain awareness and anti-submarine warfare activities by Australian and Indian maritime patrol aircraft in the Indian Ocean."
Rajnath and Marles welcomed the signing of the Australia-India Implementing Arrangement on Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation. They welcomed progress towards operationalising the Australia-India Implementing Arrangement on Air-to-Air Refuelling signed in 2024. Ministers highlighted closer cooperation on information sharing.
They also agreed to continue aircraft deployment from each other's territories to build operational familiarity. Ministers welcomed the ongoing cooperation under the Australia-India-Indonesia trilateral format to address common challenges.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is in Australia on a two day official visit. The meeting marked five years of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with both sides reaffirming their shared commitment to deepening defence cooperation across a wide spectrum, including military exercises, maritime security, defence industry collaboration and joint research in science and technology.
As part of Defence Minister Singh's engagements, a live air-to-air refuelling demonstration was organised onboard the KC-30A Multirole Transport and Tanker Aircraft (MRTT), refuelling an F-35 aircraft en route to Canberra. It showcased a demonstration of growing interoperability following last year's Implementation Arrangement on Air-to-Air Refuelling.
Upon arrival at the Australian Parliament House, Rajnath Singh was accorded a traditional welcome in the presence of Richard Marles.
There were discussions on future military exercise plans and personnel training opportunities. India welcomed Australia's invitation for participation in submarine rescue exercise Black Carillon.
Ministers welcomed additional Indian students at the Australian Defence College in 2026, and a position at the Australian Defence Force Academy in 2027 for the first time.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles accepted the invitation of Defence Minister Singh to visit India for the Annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue in 2026."