India, Australia discuss ways to strengthen maritime cooperation

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 13

India and Australia today discussed ways to sustain a safe and secure maritime environment that would be conducive for growth and global well-being.

Representatives of the two countries, which also are partners in the four-nation grouping of Quad, met for the 6th India-Australia Maritime Security Dialogue at Canberra today. “They exchanged views on various topics of mutual interest, including the maritime security environment in the Indo-Pacific region,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The two sides are looking at maritime domain awareness, coordination for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), regional and multilateral engagements, and the sustainable use of marine resources. They discussed the way ahead for collaboration in maritime pillar of the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative (IPOI).

The Indian delegation was led by Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary, Disarmament and International Security Affairs in the MEA, and the Australian delegation was led by Sarah Storey, First Assistant Secretary, South Asia and Central Asia Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Indo-Australian meeting comes a week after a US and Australia joint statement spoke about engaging with India. It said: “The US and Australia reaffirmed our shared ambition to increase maritime domain awareness collaboration with regional partners, including Japan, India, and the Philippines.”

Meanwhile, the India-Australia joint working group on counter- terrorism met separately in New Delhi on Monday. The two sides condemned the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism and exchanged views on the domestic, regional and global terrorism threat assessment. Cooperation in counter terrorism is an important element of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.