India and Australia review strategic partnership

During their meeting, the two countries committed to giving a fillip to the Joint Working Group on Defence Research and Material Cooperation, which will meet in Australia later this year. 

India and Australia on Wednesday reviewed their existing bilateral defence cooperation and discussed ways to enhance further ties. 

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, who is on a two-day official visit to India met his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on Wednesday to review the defence and security pillars of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 

Rajnath and Marles reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values, democracy and rule of law. 

It should be mentioned that the two countries have been vocal about the rule-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Since the signing of the India-Australia Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement, the two countries have witnessed building operational engagements. In the past years, New Delhi and Canberra have seen growing diversity and frequency of defence exercises and exchanges between the two countries.

During their meeting, they committed to give a fillip to the India-Australia Joint Working Group on Defence Research and Material Cooperation, which will meet in Australia later this year. 

"This JWG is a crucial mechanism for boosting ties between defence industries," the defence ministry said.

Besides, discussions on further opportunities for industrial cooperation to increase the resilience of supply chains and deliver capabilities to their respective defence forces were held. 

Earlier in May, India and Australia had announced to begin General Rawat Young Officer Exchange Programme. The two leaders welcomed the move and said that the programme would commence in the latter half of 2022.

"They looked forward to India's participation in Australia's Indo-Pacific Endeavour exercise in October 2022," it said.