VAdm Mark Hammond, Chief of Navy, Royal Australian Navy (CN) is on a three-day official visit to India from March 9-11, 2023. During the visit, VAdm Mark Hammond interacted with Adm R. Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, at New Delhi on March 10, 2023. He was welcomed with an impressive Guard of Honour on the South Block Lawns.

During the interaction, avenues to strengthen the growing cooperation between the two nations and navies, cooperative ways to deal with prevalent/ emerging maritime security challenges, and initiatives to enhance collaboration and interoperability towards realisation of a Free, Open and Inclusive Indo-Pacific/ IOR, were discussed.

Indian Navy closely cooperates with RAN on numerous issues, which include operational interactions such as AUSINDEX, KAKADU and P8 operations, training exchanges, exchange of White Shipping Information and Subject Matter Experts in various fields, all of which are coordinated through the medium of Staff Talks meetings conducted annually. In addition, warships from both Navies regularly make port calls at each other’s ports and interact in multilateral exercises such as MALABAR, RIMPAC, LaPerouse, etc. Both Navies have also been cooperating towards exploring new avenues for collaboration in the areas of Defence industries, Defence innovation and emerging Defence technologies in support of ‘Make in India’ vision.

CN RAN’s visit is an important event in the continued and regular dialogue between Indian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, and it reinforces the Navy to Navy cooperation in keeping with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.