New Delhi : India and Australia on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence cooperation as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles co-chaired the second India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi.
The high-level meeting reviewed the progress achieved in bilateral defence relations and explored new avenues for strategic and military cooperation between the two countries.
Addressing the dialogue, Rajnath Singh highlighted the significant growth in defence engagement since the launch of the annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue last year. He noted that several important milestones had been achieved since the inaugural meeting held in Australia in October 2025.
“I am pleased to note that since the establishment of the annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, our defence engagement has expanded considerably, with several promising achievements marking the progress of our partnership,” Singh said.
The Defence Minister emphasized that the decision to hold annual ministerial-level meetings represents an important step toward reviewing bilateral defence cooperation and charting a roadmap for future collaboration. He also recalled his productive discussions with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during his visit to Australia and expressed appreciation for the warm engagement extended to the Indian delegation.
Singh congratulated Australia on recent key defence leadership appointments, including the appointment of the country’s first female Defence Secretary and first female armed services chief. He also welcomed Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy and the 2026 Integrated Investment Program, describing them as significant policy initiatives that could open new opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
Earlier in the day, Richard Marles paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. Welcoming the Australian minister, Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green said the visit reflected the growing momentum, strategic depth and enduring friendship that characterize the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Australia remains a key partner in India’s vision of a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The visit underscores the increasing maturity and depth of the defence partnership between the two nations.
Since the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020, defence cooperation between India and Australia has expanded steadily across military exercises, strategic dialogues, maritime security and defence industry engagement. Both countries have reiterated their shared commitment to enhancing collective security capabilities and contributing to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.