The Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, on Wednesday started his two-day official visit (October 9 to 10) to Australia, which is aimed at strengthening defence and strategic cooperation between the two nations.
Singh’s official visit came after the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles invited him. India's High Commissioner to Australia, Gopal Baglay, and senior Australian officials received Singh at the Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport.
What is expected from the official visit?
The Defence Minister of India is to convene meetings with his Australian counterpart and other key leaders, where several ways to deepen defence collaboration, enhance maritime security, and expand cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region will be discussed.
The visit comes as India and Australia continue to strengthen their partnership under the Quad framework, along with Japan and the United States, with a focus on a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.
The visit coincides with a historic moment as India and Australia commemorate five years since the establishment of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). This will also mark the first-ever visit of a Defence Minister to Australia under this government since 2014. Rajnath will also chair a business roundtable in Sydney, which will be attended by industry leaders from both sides.
This visit can prove to be an important opportunity for both sides to explore new & meaningful initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and the defence partnership.
Three pacts on the table -
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.
Defence engagements have expanded over time to include wide-ranging interactions between the services, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity-building and training programmes, cooperation in the maritime domain, ship visits, and bilateral exercises.
The bilateral relationship between Australia and India was upgraded from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020. The two countries have a strong bond based on shared values, including pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth customs, expanding economic cooperation, and rising high-level contacts.
The two nations' long-standing partnership has been further reinforced by strong tourism and athletic ties, long-standing people-to-people ties, and the presence of Indian students in Australian universities.
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