Defence Minister Rajnath Singh begins two-day Australia visit to strengthen defence ties

Sydney [Australia], October 8 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Sydney on Wednesday, marking the start of his official visit to Australia aimed at strengthening defence and strategic cooperation between the two countries.
He was received at Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport by India's High Commissioner to Australia, Gopal Baglay, and senior Australian officials.
Rajnath Singh is on a two-day official visit to Australia from October 9-10 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles, the Ministry of Defence stated in an official release.
During his visit, Raksha Mantri is expected to hold meetings with his Australian counterpart and other key leaders to discuss ways to deepen defence collaboration, enhance maritime security, and expand cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
The visit comes as India and Australia continue to strengthen their partnership under the Quad framework, along with Japan and the United States, with a focus on a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.
Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that he is visiting Australia at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles to strengthen bilateral defence ties and mark five years of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, underscoring efforts to enhance cooperation across key strategic and security areas.
In a post on X, the Defence Minister wrote, "At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and the Defence Minister @RichardMarlesMP, I am visiting Australia to continue our dialogue and exchange views on areas of mutual interest. Also looking forward to calling on the other national leaders of Australia and exploring ideas for cooperation between both countries."
The visit coincides with a historic moment as India and Australia commemorate five years since the establishment of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
This will also mark the first-ever visit of a Defence Minister to Australia under this government since 2014.
The key highlight of the Defence Minister's visit will be the bilateral discussions with his Australian counterpart. He will chair a business roundtable in Sydney, which will be attended by industry leaders from both sides.
He will also call on other national leaders of Australia. The visit will provide an important opportunity for both sides to explore new & meaningful initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and the defence partnership.
During the visit, three agreements are planned to be signed, which will further enhance cooperation in the areas of information sharing, the maritime domain, and joint activities.
Defence engagements have expanded over time to include wide-ranging interactions between the services, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity-building and training programmes, cooperation in the maritime domain, ship visits, and bilateral exercises.
India and Australia elevated their bilateral relationship from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020.
The two nations share a deep bond rooted in common values - pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth traditions, growing economic engagement, and increasing high-level interactions, the statement added.
Long-standing people-to-people connections and the presence of Indian students in Australian universities, as well as robust tourism and sporting ties, have further strengthened the enduring partnership between the two countries. (ANI)