With China adopting an aggressive stance in the Indo-Pacific, India and Australia on Wednesday reaffirmed their shared objective of an open, free, inclusive, prosperous and rules based region.
The two sides also reviewed their Defence and strategic ties and security challenges during talks here between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and visiting Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles.
The two Ministers also explored industrial cooperation in the Defence manufacturing sector as well as ways to enhance capabilities of their militaries. Marles is on a four-day visit to India from Monday amid geo-political upheavals triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Ukraine crisis is understood to have figured in the talks. Australia is a key partner of India and the strategic cooperation between the two sides has been on an upswing, both bilaterally as well as under the framework of the Quad or Quadrilateral coalition.
A joint statement issued after the parleys said the two Ministers reviewed the existing defence cooperation activities which have been increasing despite challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and discussed ways to enhance further cooperation. The Ministers reviewed the defence and security pillars of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. They reaffirmed their commitment towards implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values, of democracy and rule of law.
They welcomed the growing diversity and frequency of defence exercises and exchanges between the two countries and undertook to build upon operational engagements through the India-Australia Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement.
Both Ministers committed to give fillip to the India-Australia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Research and Materiel Cooperation, which will meet in Australia later this year.
This JWG is a crucial mechanism for boosting ties between defence industries. The Ministers discussed further opportunities for industrial cooperation between India and Australia to increase the resilience of supply chains and deliver capabilities to their respective defence forces. Rajnath and Marles also welcomed the plan to commence the landmark General Bipin Rawat Young Officer Exchange Programme in the latter half of 2022.
The programme was announced during the virtual summit between the prime ministers of the two countries in March in honour of India's first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat who died in a helicopter crash December last. The statement said they also looked forward to India's participation in Australia's 'Indo-Pacific Endeavour' exercise in October.