India, Australia discuss ways to strengthen defence cooperation
New Delhi, June 22
India and Australia today announced a way forward on joint defence research and material cooperation.
Australia is one of the top five producers of rare earths, the compounds used in making micro chips that are the heart of any modern military equipment.
The India-Australia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Research and Material Cooperation will meet in Australia later this year, it was announced in a bilateral statement after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Richard Marles held a meeting in New Delhi.
This JWG is a crucial mechanism for boosting ties between defence industries. The ministers discussed further opportunities for industrial cooperation between India and Australia to increase the resilience of supply chains and deliver capabilities to their respective defence forces. Both sides agreed to explore means to grow connections and opportunities between Indian and Australian defence industrial bases.
The two ministers reviewed the existing defence cooperation activities which have been increasing despite challenges of Covid-19 pandemic and discussed ways to enhance further cooperation.
They reviewed the defence and security pillars of the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. They reaffirmed their commitment towards implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values, of democracy and rule of law. The duo reviewed strategic challenges and the regional security situation and reaffirmed their shared objective of an open, free, inclusive, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
