Second India–Australia Defence Ministers' Dialogue held in New Delhi

Summary

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles co-chaired the second India–Australia Defence Ministers' Dialogue at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, on 1 June 2026. The inaugural edition was held on 9 October 2025. The Ministers discussed maritime security cooperation and efforts to finalise the Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap, agreed to progress maritime domain awareness activities by maritime patrol aircraft, and encouraged cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and Australia's Maritime Border Command. They also welcomed progress on renewing the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation and backed freedom of navigation consistent with UNCLOS, 1982. As co-leads of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security, the two countries planned to host a Search and Rescue and tabletop exercise at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Chennai, in June 2026.

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