9th edition of India-Australia Defence Policy Talks held in New Delhi, focusing on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation and aligning both nations’ strategic goals. This meeting followed key engagements, including 2nd Annual Leaders’ Summit (November 2024), inter-sessional 2+2 consultations (October 2024), and 2nd Ministerial Foreign and Defence Ministers’ 2+2 Dialogue (November 2023).
Both sides reviewed previous defence outcomes and agreed on priorities and preparations for upcoming 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue to be held in Australia in 2025. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to formulate a long-term defence and security vision, strengthen collective resilience, and contribute to peace and stability in Indo-Pacific region.
Key Highlights of Defence Policy Talks
Enhanced Maritime Security & Naval Interoperability:
- Maritime Cooperation: India and Australia agreed to bolster maritime domain awareness, reciprocal information sharing, and joint naval exercises, including AUSINDEX and Malabar.
- Aim: To strengthen maritime capabilities and ensure freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Defence Industry & Science-Technology Collaboration:
- Discussions focused on defence technology transfers, co-development, co-production of military hardware, and the application of emerging technologies in defence.
- Emphasis on leveraging India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and Australia’s defence industry growth strategy to enhance mutual defence trade and investments.
Strengthening Strategic Partnership Beyond Bilateral Ties:
India and Australia reiterated their commitment to multilateral frameworks for regional peace and security:
- Quad (India, Australia, Japan, USA): Strengthening Indo-Pacific security architecture.
- ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus): Expanding regional security dialogues and capacity-building efforts.
- Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA): Fostering maritime security and promoting the blue economy.
Exploring Defence Industry Collaboration:
Both countries explored possibilities for deeper defence industry collaboration, calling upon respective agencies to accelerate joint efforts in defence science and technology.
Deepening Cooperation Across Domains:
India and Australia agreed to enhance interoperability and collaboration across maritime, land, and air domains, while also strengthening ties with multilateral partners.
Significance of India-Australia Defence Partnership
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: India and Australia have significantly strengthened their defence ties since becoming Comprehensive Strategic Partners in 2020. Key milestones include the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (2021), enabling both nations to use each other’s military bases for logistics and refuelling.
Indo-Pacific Security & Maritime Strategy:
- Shared Maritime Interests: Both India and Australia, as maritime powers, aim to counter security challenges in the Indo-Pacific, including China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.
- Objective: To enhance naval cooperation, promote regional stability, and uphold international maritime law.
Countering Emerging Threats:
Collaboration extends to addressing cybersecurity, space security, and hybrid warfare tactics, with a focus on defence technology innovations to tackle emerging threats.
Expanding Defence Trade & Industry Collaboration:
India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative aligns with Australia’s strategy to boost its defence sector. This paves the way for joint investments in:
- Missile systems and radar technology
- Unmanned aerial and naval platforms
- Joint shipbuilding projects
Strengthening Strategic Autonomy & Diversifying Defence Ties:
- Australia is reducing its traditional reliance on allies like the USA and UK by expanding its defence partnerships with India.
- India, meanwhile, benefits from deeper Indo-Pacific alliances, complementing its existing strategic ties with the US, France, and Japan.