Australian Defence Minister Meets PM Modi; Backs India’s Fight Against Cross-Border Terrorism

Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Marles reaffirmed Australia’s support for India in combating cross-border terrorism. His visit marked the fifth anniversary of the India-Australia defence partnership.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated Marles on the Australian Labour Party’s election win and invited Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the Annual Summit in India later this year.

PM Modi said their discussion focused on enhancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Talking to X, PM Modi posted, “Glad to meet Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Richard Marles. Had a productive discussion on deepening the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which marks its fifth anniversary today. Our shared vision for a stable, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific continues to guide our collaboration.”

Marles & Rajnath Singh Review Defence Cooperation

Earlier, Marles met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Both leaders condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.

Singh highlighted India’s right to self-defence against terrorism and described its response as responsible and proportionate.

They reviewed the India-Australia defence partnership, including the newly signed Joint Research Project. Both agreed to deepen industry collaboration and explore defence science and technology cooperation at the next 2+2 ministerial meeting in Australia.

Partnership To Expand Amid Regional Challenges

The Defence Ministry said both sides also discussed cyber security, maritime cooperation, hydrography, and regional security challenges. They expressed satisfaction with the progress made since the last 2+2 meeting in November 2023.

The two nations recognised defence as a central pillar of their growing strategic partnership, underscoring the importance of continued collaboration amid emerging regional and global scenarios.

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