Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday began a series of high-level meetings with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles , along with other senior leaders, to deepen defence collaboration, enhance maritime security, and expand strategic cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. Singh arrived in Sydney on Wednesday for a two day official visit at Marles invitation.
Upon reaching Canberra, he was welcomed by Australia’s Assistant Minister for Defence Peter Khalil at the Royal Australian Air Force Base. “I also look forward to calling on other national leaders of Australia and exploring ideas for cooperation between both countries. This visit comes at a historic moment when India and Australia commemorate five years of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Looking forward to further deepening our partnership,” Singh posted on X.
This is the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government since 2014, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership .
During his stay, Singh will hold bilateral talks with Marles, join a business roundtable in Sydney to explore defence industry cooperation, and meet other key national leaders. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that three agreements will be signed to strengthen cooperation in information sharing, maritime domain awareness, and joint activities.
The rapidly expanding India-Australia defence partnership includes joint exercises, ship exchanges, military training programmes, and coordinated maritime security operations.
The relationship, elevated from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020, is rooted in shared democratic values, economic engagement, and strong people-to-people ties. Earlier this year, Marles visited New Delhi, where both leaders condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam and pledged joint efforts to combat terrorism.
Singh reiterated India’s right to self-defence and underscored measured, responsible responses to cross-border threats.
Rajnath Singh’s visit is expected to inject fresh momentum into bilateral defence ties, reinforcing a shared commitment to peace, stability, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
-with inputs from IANS