A New Chapter in Strategic Cooperation
In a move that signals the deepening of defence and maritime collaboration, India and Australia have agreed to bolster their strategic partnership by signing a landmark pact on mutual submarine rescue operations. The agreement was sealed during the first annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in Canberra, marking the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia in more than ten years.
The talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles emphasized not only shared security interests in the Indo-Pacific but also growing cooperation in the defence industry, ship maintenance, and advanced technology.
Strengthening Maritime Security
The joint statement issued after the dialogue outlined a shared commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight under international law, especially within the framework of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Both sides also discussed a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap, designed to strengthen coordination in the Indo-Pacific region, where tensions over maritime boundaries and regional influence continue to rise.
One of the key highlights was the signing of the Implementing Arrangement on Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation, a first-of-its-kind agreement that aims to enhance underwater operational safety and joint rescue capabilities between the two navies.
Operational and Industrial Synergy
India offered to service and repair Royal Australian Navy vessels deployed in the Indian Ocean, a proposal welcomed by Canberra as a step toward operational efficiency and regional readiness. The ministers also reaffirmed plans to expand defence information sharing and conduct joint air-to-air refuelling exercises—a capability recently demonstrated with an Australian KC-30A aircraft refuelling an F-35 fighter jet.
Defence Minister Marles noted that these efforts reflect the “deepening operational trust” between the two militaries, taking their strategic cooperation “to a much deeper level.”
Boosting Defence Industry and Technology Links
The dialogue also underscored the growing defence industrial partnership between the two nations. The Australia–India Defence Industry Roundtable, set to be held in Sydney on October 10, will explore collaboration in research, materials, and co-manufacturing of contemporary defence technologies.
Australia’s first defence trade mission to India earlier this month and India’s participation in Australia’s Land Forces Expo 2024 highlighted the expanding scope of industrial engagement. Both ministers reaffirmed the “strategic importance of defence industry collaboration” in ensuring technological self-reliance and regional stability.
Shared Vision in the Indo-Pacific
Both India and Australia are active members of the Quad grouping—alongside the United States and Japan—which is increasingly seen as a stabilizing force in the Indo-Pacific amid China’s assertive posturing. Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact was also discussed, with both nations recognizing the importance of a secure maritime environment along the Indian Ocean rim.
A Step Toward a Secure Indo-Pacific
Rajnath Singh’s visit marks a turning point in India–Australia defence relations, translating strategic alignment into practical cooperation. The submarine rescue agreement, coupled with industrial and technological collaboration, reinforces a shared vision of peace, stability, and maritime safety in the Indo-Pacific.
As both nations navigate a complex geopolitical landscape, their partnership stands as a model of mutual trust and forward-looking defence diplomacy—anchored in common values and a collective commitment to regional security.
(With agency inputs)
