India and Australia face shared challenges in the current intricate geopolitical landscape, such as maritime security, combating terrorism, maintaining resilient supply chains, and promoting climate action, stated External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday during the 16th India-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue in Delhi.
“It is quite apparent that democracies like India and Australia bear a greater responsibility; we have common challenges to tackle… Therefore, it is crucial that we maintain the strong momentum in our relationship, deliver concrete results, and collaborate to achieve this through mutual regional and global priorities,” he remarked in his opening statements prior to discussions with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
The dialogue aims to establish a more ambitious, future-oriented agenda to advance the bilateral partnership into its next phase; both parties are considering enhancing cooperation across a wide range of areas, including cyber, trade, maritime security, defense, sports, and interpersonal connections.
As India and Australia celebrate five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, there has been significant growth across all aspects of bilateral cooperation, encompassing trade and investment, defense and security, education and skills, research and innovation, science and technology, space, energy, and interpersonal relationships, Jaishankar stated.
The Framework Dialogue among Foreign Ministers has served as a fundamental component of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, clearly demonstrating the trust, democratic principles, and a shared vision for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.
According to Wong, India and Australia are comprehensive strategic partners united by a vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. “Our two nations have never been closer, and in many respects, our partnership has never been more significant,” she remarked.
Together with the other Quad nations, the United States and Japan, both India and Australia advocate for a rule-based international order that promotes peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
This dialogue occurred just weeks after India and Australia finalized three crucial agreements aimed at strengthening their military collaboration, which includes a pact on information sharing, a memorandum of understanding regarding submarine search and rescue cooperation, and terms of reference for establishing joint staff discussions between their respective armed forces.
The agreements were formalized in Canberra on October 9, following discussions between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who also oversees the defence portfolio. The two leaders reiterated their mutual commitment to enhancing defence collaboration in various domains, including military exercises, maritime security, defence industry partnerships, and joint research in science and technology.
“I believe that today, whether it pertains to our extensive and intricate bilateral and multilateral exercises, our interoperability, or the efforts we undertake in maritime domain awareness and cyber security — it truly demonstrates the confidence in our relationship,” Jaishankar remarked.
He expressed optimism that the current discussions regarding the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement would reach a conclusion soon, noting that trade and investment connections have consistently expanded over the years.
Today’s meeting presents a remarkable chance for us to not only assess the progress made, but also to establish the agenda and direction for the upcoming phase of our relations, along with the recommendations we intend to present to our Prime Ministers. I believe these will be crucial for them to consider during their imminent meeting.
Jaishankar also addressed the topics of skills and education. “Our universities have taken the lead in developing new models of innovation. We are very open to welcoming many of your universities that are already present here, and we anticipate that many more will join them. They have, in fact, contributed significantly to enhancing our cooperation in India.”
