Vizagvision New Delhi: Raksha Mantri and Australian Deputy Prime Minister & Defence Minister co-chair second India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue Emphasise on enhanced defence industrial collaboration & cooperation in futuristic technology researchIndia & Australia affirm stronger regional cooperation for a free, peaceful & prosperous Indo-PacificRaksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Defence Mr Richard Marles co-chaired the second edition of India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi on June 01, 2026. The two Ministers welcomed thesignificant progress in the bilateral relationship, and reflected on the enhanced consultation & cooperation since the inaugural edition of the dialogue on October 09, 2025.The Ministers advanced their Prime Ministers’ long-term vision for collaboration between the two countries to enhance collective strength, contribute to both countries’ security, and make an important contribution to regional peace & security. They welcomed the progress towards realisingtheir Prime Ministers’ commitment to renew and strengthen the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.The two sides discussed advancements in bilateral maritime security cooperation and efforts to finalise the Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap. They agreed to progress the collaborative maritime domain awareness activities by maritime patrol aircraft and explore opportunities to enhance undersea domain awareness. They also encouraged further cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and Australia’s Maritime Border Command.The Ministers affirmed the importance of enhancing cooperation with regional partners to help maintain a free, open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. They underscored the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, and their strong support for unimpeded trade in the region & other lawful uses of the sea consistent with international law, particularly the 1982United Nations convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).India and Australia, as co-leads of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security, look forward to jointly hosting a Search & Rescue and tabletop Exercise at Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Chennai in June 2026 to strengthen maritimesafety and security cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. The two sides undertook to explore arrangements to enhance procedural interoperability for exercises and operations, building on the2020 Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement. They also agreed to continue aircraft deployment from each other’s territories to build operational familiarity. The Ministers announced that India and Australia would begin developing a Memorandum ofUnderstanding regarding the Provision of Defence Articles and Defence Services as the next step in deepening defence industrial collaboration. They underscored the strategic importance of defenceindustrial collaboration and engagement, while welcoming Australia’s first defence trade mission to India and Australia-India Defence Industry Roundtable, both in October 2025, as a reflection ofgrowth in the bilateral defence industry relationship. The two sides agreed to explore further exchanges including through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research, and Materiel. Both the Ministers looked forward to exploring future defence science and technology research cooperation in new technology areas like sensor technologies. The Australian Deputy Prime Minister invited India to participate in the 2026 Australian Defence Science, Technology, andResearch Summit.The Ministers appreciated the growing engagement between their defence forces, and looked forward to India’s enhanced participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2027. They welcomedAustralia’s participation in India’s Exercise Milan in February 2026, and India’s participation in Australia’s Exercise Kakadu in March 2026. They looked forward to their countries’ participation in each other’s multinational air exercises in 2026, including operationalising the bilateral Implementing Arrangement on Air-to-Air Refuelling at Exercise Pitch Black. The two sides noted with satisfaction the expansion of military cooperation into new areas.They welcomed the evolution of Army Exercise Austrahind this year to focus on amphibious combat and littoral manoeuvre. Australia welcomed India’s inaugural participation in Operation Render Safe2026.