Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Sydney this week for a two‑day visit to Australia, invited by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. The trip marks the first time an Indian defence chief has visited Australia under Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014.
After landing in Canberra, Singh greeted Peter Khalil, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Defence. “I’m looking forward to meeting my friend, Richard Marles, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia,” Singh tweeted on X.
The visit comes as India and Australia celebrate five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It also follows a June visit by Marles to New Delhi, where the two leaders condemned a terror attack in Pahalgam and vowed to keep fighting cross‑border terrorism.
During his stay, Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with Marles and sit on a business roundtable in Sydney. Company leaders from both countries will explore new projects in defence and strategic sectors. He will also meet other senior Australian officials.
The Indian Ministry of Defence said the trip offers a chance to sign three new agreements. They will focus on information sharing, the maritime domain, and joint activities. These deals are expected to strengthen cooperation across all three armed services, from joint exercises to ship swaps and training programs.
India and Australia upgraded their relationship from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020. Both nations share democratic values, Commonwealth ties, growing trade, and tight people‑to‑people links through students, tourism and sports.
Singh’s visit is seen as a boost to the growing security and defence collaboration between the two countries, especially in promoting peace and stability in the Indo‑Pacific region.
Source: ianslive
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