India and Australia Institutionalise Defence Partnership with New Frameworks and Joint Mechanisms
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure | SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions
Institutions: Ministry of Defence | Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)
During his official visit to Sydney, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles co-chaired the first India–Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, marking a new phase in bilateral defence cooperation. The two sides issued a Joint Statement outlining concrete mechanisms to deepen collaboration under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2020).
Key agreements include the institutionalisation of the annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, operationalisation of Joint Working Groups on defence industry, R&D, and military cooperation, and an Implementing Arrangement for Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation. They also agreed to strengthen the Air-to-Air Refuelling Arrangement, promote service-to-service Staff Talks, and expand collaboration in cyber, space, maritime security, and autonomous systems.
In his address to the India–Australia Defence Industry Round Table, Rajnath Singh invited Australian firms to co-develop and co-produce advanced defence systems in India. He cited India’s ₹1.51 lakh crore defence production and ₹23,622 crore exports in 2024–25 as evidence of industrial strength. Both sides emphasised resilient supply chains, technology co-creation, and Atmanirbhar Bharat as shared priorities for a secure Indo-Pacific.
The joint statement converts diplomatic intent into institutional architecture—from ministerial dialogues and submarine rescue frameworks to co-development in niche technologies. This elevates the partnership from policy rhetoric to structured cooperation, aligning India’s defence industrial base with Indo-Pacific strategic goals. It also reflects India’s growing role as a defence manufacturing and export hub, linking self-reliance with regional security.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India ensure that these new joint mechanisms deliver measurable outcomes - shared R&D pipelines, interoperable platforms, and real defence exportsrather than remaining consultative forums?
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PIB: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2177149
Joint Statement (MoD): https://mod.gov.in/sites/default/files/India-Australia-Defence-Ministers%E2%80%99-Joint-Statement.pdf