India and Australia Agree to Deepen Cooperation

Syllabus :GS 2/IR 

In News

• India and Australia held their 9th Defence Policy Talks in New Delhi.

Key Outcomes of Recent meeting 

• Enhanced Maritime Security & Interoperability: Both nations agreed on increased cooperation in maritime domain awareness and reciprocal information sharing and strengthening joint naval exercises such as AUSINDEX and Malabar.
• Defence Industry & Science-Technology Collaboration: Both sides discussed defence technology transfers, co-development, and co-production of military hardware and use of emerging technologies.
• Strengthening Strategic Partnership Beyond Bilateral Ties: Alignment with regional and multilateral frameworks, including:
  • Quad (India, Australia, Japan, USA) – Strengthening Indo-Pacific security architecture.
  • ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) – Expanding regional security dialogues.
  • Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) – Promoting maritime security and blue economy cooperation.

Significance of India-Australia Defence Partnership

• Defence Engagement: Australia and India have strengthened their defence ties since becoming Comprehensive Strategic Partners in 2020.
  • Key milestones include the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (2021).
• Indo-Pacific Security & Maritime Strategy: The Indo-Pacific region faces growing security challenges, including China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.
  • India and Australia, both maritime powers, seek to enhance naval cooperation to ensure regional stability.
• Countering Emerging Threats: Cybersecurity, space security, and hybrid warfare tactics have become major concerns. India and Australia are collaborating on defence technology innovations to counter these challenges.
• Expanding Defence Trade & Industry Collaboration: India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative aligns with Australia’s defence industry growth strategy, allowing mutual investments in:
  • Missile systems and radar technology
  •  Unmanned aerial and naval platforms
  •  Joint shipbuilding projects
• Strengthening Strategic Autonomy & Diversifying Defence Ties: Australia’s increasing defence partnerships with India reduce its reliance on traditional allies like the USA and UK.
  • India benefits from deeper Indo-Pacific alliances, complementing its ties with the US, France, and Japan.

Challenges in India-Australia Defence Cooperation

• Aligning Defence Procurement & Industrial Capabilities: Australia’s defence industry has historically been more aligned with Western suppliers (USA, UK), making technology transfer with India challenging.
• Bureaucratic & Policy Barriers: Defence cooperation needs faster clearance for joint R&D projects and military logistics agreements. Differences in military doctrines and strategic priorities require stronger policy coordination.
• Navigating Regional Geopolitical Complexities: Managing relations with China – Australia’s past economic dependence on China creates challenges in fully aligning its Indo-Pacific strategy with India.

Source: TH