Both agree to enhance information-sharing, maritime engagementAfghanistan, Indo-Pacific on table at India-Australia meet

Ajay Banerjee

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Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 10

Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific were discussed in detail as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton on Friday.

The meet came on a day when navies of the two countries ended their five-day drill named “Ausindex” and a day ahead of the 2+2 dialogue involving the Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers of either side.

India is keen to engage Australia on Afghanistan and shared the opinion of having an internationally mandated mechanism to implement the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution, which says Afghan territory will not be used to launch terror strike on other countries.

The issue of violation of rights of women, children and minorities in the strife-torn country also came up. Australia has already come out strongly against the newly set up Taliban-led government in Afghanistan for having banned women from playing sport.

In a joint statement after the meeting, Rajnath Singh said, “The partnership is based on our shared vision of free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific region.”

“Both Australia and India have tremendous stakes in peace, development and free flow of trade, rules-based order and economic growth in the region,” said the minister.

This was clearly a take on China, which has notified its own unilateral maritime law from September 1 and is insisting on foreign vessels (military or cargo) sailing in South China sea and in the Taiwan straits to report locations and other details.

Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said, “Today I have agreed to enhance Australia’s posture in the Indian Ocean region by ramping up our air force cooperation, maritime engagements and exercises.” The sides have also agreed to reinforce each other’s maritime domain awareness through increased information sharing and practical cooperation, Dutton added.

The discussion at the meeting was focused on our bilateral defence cooperation and expanding military engagements across the three forces, enhancing defence information sharing, cooperation in emerging defence technologies and mutual logistics support.