**Executive Summary**
On June 01, 2026, the second India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue was held in New Delhi to enhance bilateral defence industrial collaboration and maritime security. The ministers committed to finalizing a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the provision of defence articles and services. Key upcoming actions include a joint Search & Rescue exercise in Chennai (June 2026) and the deployment of an Indian instructor to the Australian Defence College (2028-2029).
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Strategic and Regional Cooperation**
* Affirmed commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific consistent with international law (UNCLOS).
* Welcomed the growing strategic convergence between India, Australia, Japan, and the United States.
* Agreed to renew and strengthen the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.
* **Maritime Security and Domain Awareness**
* Commitment to finalize the Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and enhance undersea domain awareness.
* Jointly hosting a Search & Rescue and tabletop exercise in Chennai in June 2026.
* Operationalization of the Quad Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness via the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region in Gurugram.
* Agreement to develop a "Common Operational Picture" across the Indo-Pacific region.
* **Defence Industry and Technology**
* Initiation of an MoU regarding the Provision of Defence Articles and Defence Services to deepen industrial ties.
* Focus on futuristic technology research cooperation, specifically in areas like sensor technologies.
* Planned exchanges through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research, and Materiel.
* **Military Engagement and Exercises**
* Expansion of Exercise Austrahind to include amphibious combat and littoral maneuvers.
* Confirmation of mutual participation in Exercise Milan (Feb 2026), Exercise Kakadu (March 2026), and Exercise Talisman Sabre (2027).
* Operationalizing Air-to-Air Refuelling arrangements during Exercise Pitch Black.
* Commencement of the inaugural Joint Staff Talks later in 2026.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Ministry of Defence / Armed Forces**
**Impact**
The ministry gains increased operational familiarity and interoperability through expanded exercises and shared logistics arrangements.
**Action Required**
Finalize the deployment of a visiting instructor to the Australian Defence College for 2028-2029 and host the June 2026 Search & Rescue exercise.
**Australian Department of Defence / Defence Force**
**Impact**
Strengthens strategic alignment with India and facilitates deeper integration into the Indian Ocean maritime security architecture.
**Action Required**
Finalize the Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and host the 2026 Australian Defence Science, Technology, and Research Summit.
**Defence Industry Stakeholders**
**Impact**
Access to new collaborative frameworks for research in futuristic technologies and streamlined procurement via the upcoming MoU on defence articles.
**Action Required**
Engage with the India-Australia Defence Industry Roundtable and the Joint Working Group to explore research and materiel exchanges.
**Regional Indo-Pacific Partners**
**Impact**
Benefit from enhanced regional stability and better maritime domain awareness through the "Common Operational Picture."
**Action Required**
Collaborate on the Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration initiative.
Key Entities Referenced
India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue: The primary bilateral forum for co-chairing and enhancing defense industrial collaboration, technology research, and regional security cooperation.
Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation: A foundational policy framework that both nations committed to renew and strengthen to enhance collective security and regional peace.
Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA): A Quad initiative operationalized to enhance maritime security and create a common operational picture across the Indo-Pacific region.
Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR): The Gurugram-based center responsible for operationalizing the regional program of the IPMDA to facilitate maritime domain awareness.
Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement: A 2020 agreement used as a basis to enhance procedural interoperability for joint exercises and defense operations between India and Australia.
Ministry of Defence
Raksha Mantri and Australian Deputy Prime
Minister & Defence Minister co-chair second
India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue
Emphasise on enhanced defence industrial collaboration &
cooperation in futuristic technology research
India & Australia affirm stronger regional cooperation for a
free, peaceful & prosperous Indo-Pacific
Posted On: 01 JUN 2026 3:13PM by PIB Delhi
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Defence
Mr Richard Marles co-chaired the second edition of India-Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue at
Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi on June 01, 2026. The two Ministers welcomed the significant progress in
the bilateral relationship, and reflected on the enhanced consultation & cooperation since the inaugural
edition of the dialogue on October 09, 2025.
The Ministers advanced their Prime Ministers’ long-term vision for collaboration between the two
countries to enhance collective strength, contribute to both countries’ security, and make an important
contribution to regional peace & security. They welcomed the progress towards realising their Prime
Ministers’ commitment to renew and strengthen the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security
Cooperation.The two sides discussed advancements in bilateral maritime security cooperation and efforts to finalise the
Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap. They agreed to progress the collaborative maritime
domain awareness activities by maritime patrol aircraft and explore opportunities to enhance undersea
domain awareness. They also encouraged further cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and
Australia’s Maritime Border Command.
The Ministers affirmed the importance of enhancing cooperation with regional partners to help maintain a
free, open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. They underscored the importance of freedom of
navigation and overflight, and their strong support for unimpeded trade in the region & other lawful uses
of the sea consistent with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations convention on the Law of
the Sea (UNCLOS).India and Australia, as co-leads of the Indian Ocean Rim Association Working Group on Maritime Safety
and Security, look forward to jointly hosting a Search & Rescue and tabletop Exercise at Maritime Rescue
Coordination Centre, Chennai in June 2026 to strengthen maritime safety and security cooperation in the
Indian Ocean Region. The two sides undertook to explore arrangements to enhance procedural
interoperability for exercises and operations, building on the 2020 Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement.
They also agreed to continue aircraft deployment from each other’s territories to build operational
familiarity.
The Ministers announced that India and Australia would begin developing a Memorandum of
Understanding regarding the Provision of Defence Articles and Defence Services as the next step in
deepening defence industrial collaboration. They underscored the strategic importance of defence
industrial collaboration and engagement, while welcoming Australia’s first defence trade mission to India
and Australia-India Defence Industry Roundtable, both in October 2025, as a reflection of growth in the
bilateral defence industry relationship. The two sides agreed to explore further exchanges including
through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research, and Materiel.
Both the Ministers looked forward to exploring future defence science and technology research
cooperation in new technology areas like sensor technologies. The Australian Deputy Prime Minister
invited India to participate in the 2026 Australian Defence Science, Technology, and Research Summit.
The Ministers appreciated the growing engagement between their defence forces, and looked forward to
India’s enhanced participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2027. They welcomed Australia’s participation
in India’s Exercise Milan in February 2026, and India’s participation in Australia’s Exercise Kakadu in
March 2026. They looked forward to their countries’ participation in each other’s multinational air
exercises in 2026, including operationalising the bilateral Implementing Arrangement on Air-to-Air
Refuelling at Exercise Pitch Black.The two sides noted with satisfaction the expansion of military cooperation into new areas. They
welcomed the evolution of Army Exercise Austrahind this year to focus on amphibious combat and littoral
manoeuvre. Australia welcomed India’s inaugural participation in Operation Render Safe 2026. India
welcomed Australia’s invitation for participation in submarine rescue exercise Black Carillon.
The Ministers welcomed increased information sharing between operational headquarters. They looked
forward to the inaugural Joint Staff Talks later this year. They acknowledged the importance of secure
bilateral communications at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels and welcomed progressing these
efforts through subject matter exchanges.
On training cooperation, the two leaders encouraged their officials to finalise arrangements for
deployment of an Indian visiting instructor at the Australian Defence College in 2028-2029 to strengthen
professional military engagement, knowledge exchange, and strategic alignment. The Ministers welcomed
the growing strategic convergence among Australia, India, Japan and the United States in the Indo-Pacific.India and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collaboration on maritime domain
awareness to increase interoperability among the partners. The Ministers expressed strong support for the
Quad Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration initiative to be implemented initially in the Indian
Ocean Region as well as through subject matter expert exchanges and tabletop exercises.
The two sides welcomed India's operationalisation of the Indian Ocean Region programme of the Quad
Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness through the Information Fusion Centre – Indian
Ocean Region in Gurugram. They agreed to work to develop a Common Operational Picture across the
Indo-Pacific by drawing upon the existing Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness
efforts.VK/Savvy
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