8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks held in Canberra
Recently the 8th meeting of the India-Australia Defense Policy Dialogue (DPT) has been held in Canberra, Australia.
8th DPT reviewed the results of 1st 2+2 to be held in 2021. Both sides have agreed to finalize the Hydrography Agreement at the earliest.
The meeting was held to identify ways to strengthen the partnership in co-development and co-production of equipment between the two countries. During this, both sides have expressed their commitment to fully implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The Indian side highlighted the potential of the Indian defense industry with the capability and competence to collaborate with the Australian Armed Forces in shipbuilding and maintenance plans.
India-Australia Defense Relations:
- India and Australia have upgraded their bilateral relations from ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2009 to ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in 2020.
- The two countries have expanded their strategic partnership with a focus on maritime security, counter-terrorism and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Initiation of Strategic Dialogue: In the year 2020, Australia and India elevated their Secretaries 2+2 dialogue (Defence and Foreign Affairs) to the Ministerial level. The ministers now meet once every two years to discuss progress made under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
- Malabar Exercise: In 2020, Australia participated in Malabar naval exercise thus joining India, US and Japan.
- The exercise brought together four regional defense partners and democracies, symbolizing a collective resolve to support an open and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
- AUSINDEX: Important bilateral exercise called AUSINDEX is conducted between Royal Australian Navy and Indian Navy.
- Exercise Pitch Black: An important start to the defense meet was when, for the first time, the Indian Air Force joined Exercise Pitch Black in Darwin in 2018. Australia’s multidimensional exercise involves air forces from a number of Australian allies and partner countries.
- Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and Defense Science and Technology Implementation Arrangement: India and Australia achieved Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement in 2020.
- The agreement enables more intelligent operational cooperation, enabling increasingly complex military engagements and enhanced collective responsivity to regional humanitarian disasters.
- Shared Military Platform: The Indian and Australian armies have become increasingly inter-operable due to the increasing number of shared media, increasing opportunities for shared training.
- Exchange of military officers for training: India shapes its relationship with its defense forces through regular personnel and training exchanges, such as short specialist courses and long-term posts.
- Every year, India and Australia send officers to attend each other’s premier military educational institutions.
Source – PIB
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