India, Australia discuss maritime security, defence cooperation

India and Australia on Monday (June 1, 2026) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence and security cooperation across the Indo-Pacific, with a strong focus on maritime security, defence industry collaboration, interoperability, and emerging technologies.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles co-chaired the second India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi. The two leaders reviewed the significant progress made in bilateral defence ties since the inaugural dialogue held in October 2025 and advanced the long-term vision of the Prime Ministers of the two countries for a stronger strategic partnership.

Speaking during an exclusive interaction with a select group of mediapersons, Mr. Marles said the dialogue marked another significant step in elevating defence ties between the two countries. He highlighted substantial progress in information sharing, joint air-to-air refuelling arrangements, and military exercises, describing the current phase as a high point in Australia-India defence cooperation.

Mr. Marles said defence cooperation would be a major component of discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during their upcoming summit. He noted that both sides were making significant progress towards finalising a renewed Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation as well as a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap.

Maritime security

Emphasising the importance of maritime security, Mr. Marles said cooperation at sea, including underwater activities, had become a fundamental pillar of the partnership. He pointed to growing concerns over “grey zone activities” in the maritime domain and stressed the need for internationally accepted rules to apply not only on the surface but also beneath the seabed.

He said Australia and India were exploring cooperation in advanced and innovative technologies aimed at enhancing underwater security and maritime domain awareness, reflecting the evolving nature of regional security challenges.

A key outcome of the meeting was the decision to accelerate cooperation in the maritime domain. Both sides discussed progress towards finalising a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and agreed to enhance maritime domain awareness through maritime patrol aircraft operations and undersea surveillance initiatives. They also encouraged closer cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and Australia’s Maritime Border Command.

The Ministers underscored the importance of a free, open, peaceful and rules-based Indo-Pacific, reiterating support for freedom of navigation, overflight, and lawful maritime activities in accordance with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Industrial collaboration

India and Australia also agreed to begin work on a Memorandum of Understanding on the Provision of Defence Articles and Defence Services, marking a significant step towards expanding defence industrial collaboration. The two sides welcomed growing engagement between defence industries and agreed to explore further cooperation through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research, and Materiel.

In the field of defence technology, both nations expressed interest in future collaboration on advanced technologies, including sensor systems. Australia also invited India to participate in the 2026 Australian Defence Science, Technology, and Research Summit.

The Ministers welcomed expanding military-to-military engagement, including participation in major exercises such as Milan, Kakadu, Talisman Sabre, Pitch Black and Austrahind. They also noted progress in logistics cooperation and agreed to continue aircraft deployments from each other’s territories to build operational familiarity.

India and Australia further reaffirmed support for Quad-led maritime initiatives and agreed to work towards developing a Common Operational Picture across the Indo-Pacific, strengthening regional maritime security and cooperation.

Mr. Singh and Mr. Marles expressed strong support for the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC) initiative, to be implemented initially in the Indian Ocean Region as well as through subject matter expert exchanges and tabletop exercises.