India and Australia signed a defence agreement recently in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. The key arrangements are undertaken to boost interoperability, the sharing of information, and joint operational coordination between the militaries of India and Australia.
Marles has described the newly signed defence agreement with India as a "hugely significant step", which will help in strengthening the operational partnership between the armed forces of the two nations.
Speaking to ANI, Marles said, "I think the significance of today is that what we are seeing in terms of deep trust and strategic alignment is now being expressed in a much deeper operational level of engagement between our two defence forces. The agreement that we have signed in terms of staff talks between our operational commands is hugely significant...We are very excited about that."
Marles's statement came in the backdrop of the signing of the defence pact between the two defence ministers. After meeting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Rajanath Singh said, "Confident that our relationship will continue to grow deeper, stronger..."
The Australian PM also participated in the discussions, reflecting upon Australia's growing strategic emphasis on its relationship with India.
Rajnath Singh is on an official visit to Australia. He arrived in the country's capital, Canberra, on Thursday as part of both countries' efforts to boost bilateral defence and strategic cooperation. Singh received a ceremonial welcome from Richard Marles at the Parliament House, the traditional 'Welcome to Country' smoke ceremony was held in his honour, a gesture which is a symbol of respect and acknowledgement of Australia's indigenous heritage.
With the meeting of the two defence ministers, India and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to deepen military cooperation, along with maintaining peace, stability, and the rule of law in the Pacific. Singh held comprehensive talks with his Australian counterpart, which focused on a strong India-Australia defence partnership, enhanced maritime security cooperation, and the advancement of joint initiatives in the region.