Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral discussions
with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence
Richard Marles in Delhi on Wednesday. The two ministers “reviewed
strategic challenges and the regional safety state of affairs and
reaffirmed their shared goal of an open, free, inclusive,
affluent and rules-based Indo Pacific area,” a joint assertion
mentioned, Trend stories
citing The
Indian Express.
“They seemed ahead to India’s participation in Australia’s
Indo Pacific Endeavour train in October 2022,” it mentioned.
Marles is on a four-day go to to India to strengthen the
bilateral defence ties between the 2 nations.
The two leaders reviewed the prevailing defence cooperation
actions, “which have been rising regardless of challenges of
Covid-19 pandemic and mentioned methods to reinforce additional
cooperation”, the assertion mentioned.
India and Australia are two of the 4 members of the
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, together with the US and
Japan. The 4 nations are additionally common members within the
Malabar war-gaming naval train.
Singh and Marles “reviewed the defence and safety pillars of
the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”, and
“reaffirmed their dedication in the direction of implementation of the
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based mostly on mutual belief and
understanding, frequent pursuits and shared values, of democracy and
rule of legislation”, the assertion mentioned.
They welcomed the “rising variety and frequency of defence
workout routines and exchanges between the 2 nations and undertook to
construct upon operational engagements by the India-Australia
Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement”.
Further, the assertion mentioned that the 2 ministers “dedicated to
give fillip to the India-Australia Joint Working Group (JWG) on
Defence Research and Materiel Cooperation, which can meet in
Australia later this yr”.
The JWG is a “essential mechanism for reinforcing ties between
defence industries,” in response to the joint assertion.
They additionally mentioned alternatives for industrial cooperation
between India and Australia to extend the resilience of provide
chains and ship capabilities to their respective defence forces,
and in addition agreed to discover means to develop connections and
alternatives between Indian and Australian defence industrial
bases.
