Vientiane [Lao PDR], November 21 : Australia and India have signed an arrangement to enable the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the Indian Armed Forces to conduct air-to-air refuelling, a statement by the Australian Defence Ministry said.
Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, Pat Conroy MP, and Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh announced the arrangement during bilateral discussions on Thursday, as per the statement.
Under the arrangement, RAAF's air-to-air refuelling aircraft, the KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport, will be able to refuel Indian Armed Forces aircraft.
Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Reynolds, AM, signed the arrangement on Tuesday in Delhi at Australia-India Air Staff Talks, the statement said.
Reynolds welcomed the arrangement, saying it strengthens the defence relationship between Australia and India. "India is a top-tier security partner for Australia, and through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership we are continuing to prioritise practical and tangible cooperation that directly contributes to Indo-Pacific stability," Reynolds said.
"The ability to conduct air-to-air refuelling with the Indian Armed Forces elevates our interoperability and enables us to cooperate more effectively in a range of different scenarios. This arrangement is a significant step forward in our relationship with India, and will provide valuable opportunities for our personnel to work closely together, share knowledge and expertise, and build trust and understanding," the statement quoted Reynolds as saying.
RAAF also conducts training and engagement activities with Indian Navy P-81 Neptune surveillance aircraft. The signing of this arrangement is the first step towards KC- 30A refuelling the P-81, increasing India's reach and persistence in the Indo-Pacific region, as per the statement.
Singh met Conroy on the sidelines of ADMM Plus.
In a post on X on Thursday, he said, "Glad to have met the Australian Defence Minister Mr. Pat Conroy on the sidelines of ADMM Plus. Our defence partnership has achieved significant milestones in the recent years. We look forward to take our defence engagements to a higher level."
https://x.com/rajnathsingh/status/1859543106896666971
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday attended the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus forum at Vientiane in Lao PDR, where he emphasized that India stands for rule-based international order for peace and prosperity in Indo-Pacific.
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