SP Guide Publications puts forth a well compiled articulation of issues, pursuits and accomplishments of the Indian Army, over the years
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BI-LATERAL
Both India and Australia agreed to work jointly to realise full potential of the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held the in-person 2+2 ministerial dialogue with their Australian counterparts Marise Payne and Peter Dutton respectively on September 11, 2021. The visiting Australian ministers later also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India already has 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with the US and Japan and is in the process of institutionalising such a framework with Russia.
In June 2020, India and Australia had elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and signed a landmark deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison. The Australian Navy was part of the recent Malabar naval exercise that also featured navies of India, the US and Japan.
During the 2+2 Dialogue, both countries discussed institutional frameworks for wide-ranging collaboration including expanding military engagements across services and facilitate greater sharing of critical information in line with their resolve to significantly expand strategic ties. Regional and international developments including the situation in Afghanistan and issues pertaining to the Indo-Pacific region were discussed.
On conclusion of the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, a joint statement was issued, highlights of which include:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh later tweeted, “At the India-Australia 2+2 meeting today, I and Dr Jaishankar had indepth and wide ranging discussion with Minister Payne and Minister Dutton on bilateral and regional issues. We have discussed various institutional frameworks for wide ranging collaboration including defence cooperation and fight against global pandemic. We exchanged views on Afghanistan, Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific, cooperation in multilateral formats & other related topics”.
The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is aimed at further ramping up the overall defence and strategic cooperation between the two countries, including in the Indo-Pacific amid China’s increasing military assertiveness in the region. The defence and military cooperation between India and Australia has witnessed an upswing in the last few years and has vast scope of expansion. On September 24, US President Joe Biden is slated to chair a meeting of the Quad leaders.