India, Australia Move Toward Defence Co-Production with New Agreement Framework

The announcement followed the second India-Australia Defence Ministers' Dialogue held in India, during which Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. The meeting reviewed progress achieved since the inaugural dialogue held on October 9, 2025, and explored measures to further strengthen strategic and defence relations.

According to the Joint Statement issued after the dialogue, both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and advancing the long-term strategic vision established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The two sides also welcomed progress toward renewing and strengthening the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.

The ministers agreed to explore additional exchanges through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research, and Material, aimed at deepening collaboration in defence manufacturing, technology, and innovation.

A major outcome of the meeting was the advancement of bilateral maritime security cooperation. Both countries agreed to continue efforts to finalise the Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and expand cooperation in maritime domain awareness.

The ministers decided to progress collaborative maritime domain awareness activities involving maritime patrol aircraft and examine opportunities to strengthen undersea domain awareness capabilities. They also encouraged greater cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and Australia's Maritime Border Command.

Reaffirming their shared commitment to a free, open, peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, the two ministers underscored the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight. They reiterated strong support for unimpeded trade and lawful uses of the sea in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

India and Australia, which jointly lead the Indian Ocean Rim Association's Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security, will host a Search and Rescue (SAR) and tabletop exercise at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Chennai in June 2026. The exercise is intended to strengthen maritime safety and security cooperation across the Indian Ocean Region.

The dialogue also focused on emerging defence technologies. Both countries expressed interest in exploring future defence science and technology research cooperation in advanced fields, including sensor technologies. Richard Marles extended an invitation to India to participate in the 2026 Australian Defence Science, Technology, and Research Summit.

In addition, the ministers agreed to examine arrangements that would enhance procedural interoperability during exercises and operations, building on the framework established under the 2020 Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement. They also committed to continuing aircraft deployments from each other's territories to improve operational familiarity and strengthen defence preparedness.

The latest agreements underscore the growing strategic convergence between India and Australia and highlight their shared determination to deepen defence cooperation, strengthen maritime security, and expand collaboration in advanced military technologies amid evolving regional security challenges in the Indo-Pacific.