India, Australia discuss maritime security, defence cooperation

Key points

• India and Australia on Monday (June 1, 2026) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence and security cooperation across the Indo-Pacific, with a strong focus on maritime security, defence industry collaboration, interoperability, and emerging technologies.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles co-chaired the second India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
• The two leaders reviewed the significant progress made in bilateral defence ties since the inaugural dialogue held in October 2025 and advanced the long-term vision of the Prime Ministers of the two countries for a stronger strategic partnership.
• Speaking during an exclusive interaction with a select group of mediapersons, Mr. Marles said the dialogue marked another significant step in elevating defence ties between the two countries.
• He highlighted substantial progress in information sharing, joint air-to-air refuelling arrangements, and military exercises, describing the current phase as a high point...