India, Australia to explore new initiatives to expand bilateral defence engagements

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his visiting Australian counterpart Richard Marles will explore new initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements in their talks on Wednesday.

The defence ministry said the two ministers will also exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest. It said the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership is based on a shared vision of “free, open, inclusive and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.

The visit by Marles is the first high-level trip to India from Australia after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor Party came to power last month defeating predecessor Scott Morrison’s conservative coalition in the parliamentary elections.