India, Australia Deepen Defence Ties Amid Regional Tensions and Terror Threats

The high-level bilateral meeting took place during Mr. Marles’ first official visit to India following his reappointment after the Australian Labour Party’s recent electoral victory.

In a significant diplomatic engagement aimed at strengthening bilateral strategic ties, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles in New Delhi on June 4, 2025. The high-level bilateral meeting took place during Mr. Marles’ first official visit to India following his reappointment after the Australian Labour Party’s recent electoral victory.

The discussions underscored the growing convergence between New Delhi and Canberra on regional security, defence cooperation, and counter-terrorism, with both nations reaffirming their shared vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

United Stand Against Terrorism

The meeting opened with both ministers expressing strong condemnation of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed several lives and was widely condemned across the globe. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh conveyed India’s profound grief and extended condolences to the families of the victims. He emphasized India’s right to self-defence against cross-border terrorism, referencing Pakistan’s alleged role in enabling such attacks.

“India’s actions have been measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible,” Singh stated, affirming that New Delhi remains committed to defending its sovereignty while maintaining regional stability.

Richard Marles, in a gesture of solidarity, reaffirmed Australia’s unequivocal support for India’s response to the heinous act of terror. Raksha Mantri took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) after the meeting to express gratitude for Australia’s support, stating that such global unity sends a strong message against terrorism.

Strategic Defence Partnership Expands

The talks provided a timely opportunity for both sides to review progress on multiple fronts of bilateral defence cooperation. Among the notable developments was the signing of the Australia-India Joint Research Project, a major step in enhancing defence science and technology collaboration.

The ministers agreed to intensify and diversify cooperation in the defence industrial sector, focusing on co-development and co-production of technologies in areas such as cyber defence, artificial intelligence, undersea capabilities, and new-age warfare.

The leaders also laid the groundwork for future engagements, including the upcoming 3rd India-Australia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, scheduled to be held in Australia later in 2025. This will mark a continuation of the momentum built since the last 2+2 Dialogue held in November 2023.

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: 5-Year Milestone

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a framework signed in 2020 that significantly elevated bilateral ties. Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the deepening of this relationship, noting that defence cooperation has emerged as a central pillar of the broader strategic partnership.

They praised the steady progress made in military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, joint exercises such as AUSINDEX and Malabar, and defence logistics sharing, all of which have enhanced operational interoperability between the two armed forces.

“The strategic alignment between India and Australia reflects our shared interests in a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Singh noted.

Regional and Global Security in Focus

The meeting featured a wide-ranging exchange of views on emerging regional and global security scenarios, with particular focus on maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the broader Indo-Pacific. The ministers stressed the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation, overflight, and adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Cooperation in hydrography, cybersecurity, and maritime domain awareness also featured prominently, as both sides agreed to bolster intelligence-sharing and establish frameworks to counter evolving non-traditional threats.

“The Indo-Pacific must remain open and inclusive. We must work collectively to ensure peace, prosperity, and security,” said Marles during the joint briefing.

Ceremonial and Symbolic Gestures

Before formal talks commenced at the Manekshaw Centre, Richard Marles was accorded a Tri-Services Guard of Honour. Earlier in the day, he laid a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi, paying homage to India’s fallen heroes—a symbolic act that reaffirmed the mutual respect between the two defence establishments.

Rajnath Singh extended warm congratulations to Mr. Marles for his reappointment and praised the robust mandate received by the Australian Labour Party in the recent federal elections. The visit, he said, reflects Australia’s steadfast commitment to its strategic partnership with India.

Forward-Looking Cooperation

The ministers agreed to continue pursuing mechanisms for real-time collaboration, joint training programmes, and defence supply chain resilience. With the global security environment evolving rapidly, both sides reiterated their intent to proactively address new challenges while maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The meeting concluded with a joint affirmation of the long-term strategic partnership between the two democracies, underpinned by trust, shared values, and a common vision for a secure maritime region and rule-based global order.