2+2 Meeting: India, Australia vow to firm up defence, maritime ties

Sandeep Dikshit

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New Delhi, November 20

The second India-Australia 2+2 of its Defence and Foreign Ministers here on Monday took stock of the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, as well as the growing convergences, especially in the defence, security and maritime domain.

Stating that there was an open and productive exchange of views, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X that the idea was to work for the larger benefit of the region. “Shared perspectives on developments in the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, South Asia and Ukraine,” he added.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Jaishankar were joined at the meeting by their Australian counterparts Richard Marles and Penny Wong, respectively.

The two sides also discussed how to address regional and global needs and resolved to explore working together in third countries. Earlier, Marles had said: “India is a top-tier security partner for Australia and our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is one of practical, tangible actions that directly benefit the Indo-Pacific region.”

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Wong described the India-Australia partnership as central to the stability and prosperity of the region.

“Along with our deepening defence and security cooperation, Australia is committed to partnering with India more closely for the benefit of our region, in the Indian Ocean, in Southeast Asia and in the Pacific,” she said. The talks with focus on the Indo-Pacific were held on a day Australian PM Anthony Albanese criticised China for a “dangerous” encounter between Chinese and Australian warships.

Albanese, who returned from Beijing recently, said an Australian diver was injured when a Chinese destroyer used sonar near an Australian frigate in international waters last Tuesday. Before leaving for India, Marles had said he had raised serious concerns with Beijing about the destroyer’s unsafe and unprofessional behaviour.

To explore cooperation with other nations

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and EAM S Jaishankar meet Australian counterparts Richard Marles and Penny Wong
• Discuss ways to address regional and global needs, resolve to explore working together in third countries
• ‘Shared perspectives on developments in the Indo-Pacific, West Asia, South Asia and Ukraine,’ says EAM