**India and Australia Ink Key Defence Agreements During Rajnath Singh’s Visit to Canberra**
Canberra: India and Australia have signed key defence agreements during the visit of India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Australia. The agreements were inked in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles.
During the visit, Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Marles along with senior defence officials from both countries at the Parliament House in Canberra. Both leaders appreciated the rapid growth of India-Australia defence cooperation and described the discussions as productive, forward-looking, and focused on expanding strategic coordination.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also joined the meeting later, signifying the importance both nations place on their growing defence partnership.
Richard Marles described the newly signed defence agreement with India as a “hugely significant step” in strengthening the operational partnership between the armed forces of the two countries. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Marles said, “I think the significance of today is that what we are seeing in terms of deep trust and strategic alignment is now being expressed in a much deeper operational level of engagement between our two defence forces. The Agreement that we have signed in terms of staff talks between our operational commands is hugely significant… We are very excited about that.”
Rajnath Singh arrived in Canberra on Thursday as part of his official visit aimed at bolstering defence and strategic cooperation between India and Australia. Upon arrival, he was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Parliament House by Richard Marles, which included a traditional ‘Welcome to Country’ smoke ceremony. This ceremony is a gesture symbolizing respect and acknowledgement of Australia’s Indigenous heritage.
During his visit, Singh held comprehensive talks with Marles focusing on strengthening the India-Australia defence partnership, enhancing maritime security cooperation, and advancing joint initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and a rules-based order in the region.
*(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ’s editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/india-australia-sign-key-defence-agreements-during-union-minister-rajnath-singhs-visit-to-canberra-strengthening-ties
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