Rajnath to carry bilateral talks withAustralian counterpart to strengthen defence cooperation

By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will maintain bilateral talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles right here on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday mentioned, “During the bilateral talks, the two Ministers will review the defence cooperation between the two countries and explore new initiatives to further strengthen bilateral engagements. They will also exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest.”

“Both the countries are comprehensive strategic partners and I am committed to strengthening Australia’s defence and security cooperation with India,” Marles mentioned in a press release launched by the Australian Embassy in India.

Deputy PM Marles reached Goa on June 20, 2022 on the primary leg of his four-day go to to India.

He visited Goa Shipyard Limited on Tuesday and shall be visiting INS Hansa later within the day throughout his keep in Goa.

India and Australia share a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership from June 2020 and defence is a key pillar of this partnership. The partnership is predicated on a shared imaginative and prescient of a free, open, inclusive and affluent Indo-Pacific area. The two democracies have a standard curiosity in peace and prosperity of the whole area.

During the go to, Marles may also meet External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and have interaction with nationwide safety and defence policymakers and personnel.