India and Australia have significantly upgraded their defence relationship by signing a comprehensive Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, committing to a more advanced, integrated, and long-term strategic partnership aimed at enhancing stability across the Indo-Pacific.
The declaration, issued following discussions between the Prime Ministers of both nations, builds upon the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) established in 2020 and expands the scope of bilateral cooperation across defence, maritime security, emerging technologies, counter-terrorism, defence industry collaboration, and humanitarian assistance.
Enhanced Defence Cooperation:
Under the new framework, India and Australia agreed to deepen military cooperation through regular strategic consultations on Indo-Pacific security developments, more complex bilateral and multilateral military exercises, enhanced interoperability between their armed forces, and expanded aircraft deployments from each other’s territories.
The two countries will also strengthen personnel exchanges through education, training, liaison appointments, and professional military exchanges while exploring opportunities to cooperate in developing skilled defence workforces.
Maritime Security Takes Centre Stage:
Recognising the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean and wider Indo-Pacific maritime domain, both nations announced plans to develop an India-Australia Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap.
The roadmap will seek to increase the frequency, sophistication, and operational depth of maritime cooperation, reinforcing shared commitments to freedom of navigation, maritime security, and adherence to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Boost for Defence Industry and Technology:
The declaration places strong emphasis on expanding defence industrial cooperation by encouraging greater integration between the two countries’ defence sectors, strengthening resilient supply chains, and increasing collaboration in defence innovation, science, and advanced military technologies.
Both governments also pledged to enhance cooperation under the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS), focusing on cyber security, strategic technologies, and information sharing.
Counter-Terrorism and Emerging Security Challenges:
India and Australia committed to expanding intelligence sharing on terrorist organisations and individuals operating across the region while enhancing cooperation against violent extremism.
Future collaboration will focus on emerging security challenges, including the misuse of new technologies, terrorist financing, protection of critical infrastructure, maritime security, and online radicalisation.
The two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to combating transnational organised crime, irregular migration, human trafficking, and people smuggling under the Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement signed in 2023.
Humanitarian and Disaster Response Cooperation:
Recognising the increasing frequency of natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific, both governments agreed to strengthen cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
The initiative includes expanded information sharing, expert exchanges, joint disaster response exercises, and coordination through mechanisms such as the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network, enabling faster civilian responses to large-scale regional emergencies.
The declaration also envisages closer coordination on contingency planning and evacuation operations in third countries during crises.
Shared Indo-Pacific Vision:
The joint declaration reaffirms both countries’ commitment to an open, peaceful, stable, and rules-based Indo-Pacific founded on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law, and freedom of navigation.
India and Australia reiterated support for regional institutions including ASEAN, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), and the Quad, while expressing concern over growing geostrategic uncertainty and calling for the peaceful resolution of disputes without the use or threat of force.
The two sides also committed to expanding cooperation with the United States and Japan, strengthening trilateral and multilateral partnerships to reinforce regional security and resilience.
Strategic Outlook:
The declaration marks one of the most significant upgrades in India-Australia defence ties since the 2009 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation and reflects the growing strategic convergence between the two Indo-Pacific democracies.
By broadening collaboration across military operations, defence industry, cyber security, maritime domain awareness, critical technologies, counter-terrorism, and disaster response, both countries aim to build a more capable and resilient security partnership while contributing to a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
