CANBERRA/NEW DELHI: India and Australia on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening maritime security and defence cooperation during the second India-Australia Defence Ministers' Dialogue held in New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles reviewed progress in bilateral ties and discussed ways to deepen strategic collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.
A key outcome of the meeting was the decision to advance the Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap. Both countries agreed to expand maritime domain awareness activities through maritime patrol aircraft and explore opportunities to improve undersea domain awareness. They also encouraged closer cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and Australia's Maritime Border Command.
The ministers reiterated their support for a free, open, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, emphasizing freedom of navigation, overflight, and adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). As co-leads of the Indian Ocean Rim Association's Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security, India and Australia will jointly host a Search and Rescue exercise and tabletop drill at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Chennai later this month.
Building on the 2020 Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement, both sides agreed to enhance procedural interoperability during exercises and operations. They will also continue deploying aircraft from each other's territories to strengthen operational familiarity. (IANS)
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