Canberra, Oct 9 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong held a meeting in Canberra on Thursday and discussed ways to strengthen growing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Penny Wong called India and Australia joint custodians of the Indian Ocean.
"Had a good meeting with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Canberra," Rajnath Singh posted on X.
Sharing details regarding the meeting on X, Directorate of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence wrote, "Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh met Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Canberra. The leaders discussed ways to strengthen the growing India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and deepen cooperation across key sectors including trade, technology, connectivity, and regional security."
Notably, India and Australia elevated their bilateral relationship from a Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020.
Penny Wong noted that India and Australia share a region and a future. While sharing pictures from the meeting on X, she wrote, "Australia and India are joint custodians of the Indian Ocean. We share a region and we share a future. Today I welcomed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss our partnership which helps ensure our region is peaceful, stable and prosperous in a sharper, more competitive world."
Earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh held "productive" bilateral meetings with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles to explore new avenues for strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Albanese wrote on social media, "Australia and India's defence partnership keeps getting stronger -- built on trust, shared interests and a commitment to a peaceful, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Great to meet with the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on his first trip to Australia for the Inaugural Australia-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue."
Singh described his discussions with Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Marles as "productive", noting that both sides reviewed the "full spectrum of India-Australia defence cooperation, including defence industry, cyber defence, maritime security and regional challenges."
He said the talks reaffirmed the importance of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
"I highlighted the rapid growth of India's defence industry and India's growing stature as a credible source of high-quality defence tech globally. We discussed the potential for deeper defence industry partnerships between India and Australia," Singh said in a post on X.
Expressing appreciation for Australia's "steadfast support on cross-border terrorism and shared regional stability," Singh added, "Together, we will deepen cooperation for a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific."
Marles also shared details of the meeting on X, saying, "A productive meeting at the Inaugural Australia-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue with Rajnath Singh at Parliament House this morning. It's the first time in 12 years that an Indian Defence Minister has visited Australia, and it was fantastic to elevate our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."
"As top-tier security partners, we've agreed to boost dialogue, cooperation, and complexity in joint and multilateral exercises across the services," Marles added.
This visit marks a significant milestone as India and Australia celebrate five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
This also marks the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government since 2014.
Singh will also participate in a business roundtable in Sydney, where industry leaders from both countries will explore opportunities for collaboration in the defence and strategic sectors.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the visit provides an important opportunity for both nations to explore new and meaningful initiatives to further strengthen their bilateral and defence relationship.
"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," the ministry said in a statement.
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