Defence and security, regional challenges and global issues of both political and strategic importance were on top of the agenda during the fourth 2+2 secretary-level consultations between India and Australia held in New Delhi.
The consultations from the Indian side were led by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri while their Australian counterparts were Secretary of the Department of Defence, Australian, Greg Moriarty and Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Jan Adams.
The union defence Minister Rajnath Singh also met Australian Secretary of the Department of Defence, Greg Moriarty and stressed that India is looking forward to the further strengthening defence cooperation with Australia.
The defence minister also took to ‘X’ and wrote that he was pleased to meet the Australian Secretary for Department of Defence, Mr. Greg Moriarty in New Delhi. He further mentioned in the post that he is looking forward to the further strengthen India-Australia defence cooperation.
Following the 2+2 secretary level consultations, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also met the Australian Secretary of Department of Foreign Affairs Jan Adams. Jaishankar later stated the conversation with Adams, as beneficial for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.
In addition to this, the Australian High Commissioner to India, Philip Green OAM, said the talks were crucial in intensifying the security partnership between India and Australia. He also posted on ‘X’ saying that, “Another important brick in our intensifying security partnership. The India-Australia Secretaries’ 2+2 meeting today taking place in the years between our Ministerial 2+2 India – Australia ensures we continue to build momentum.”
Over recent years, bilateral cooperation between India and Australia has seen exponential growth in existing frameworks of cooperation and further expanded across a wide spectrum of new areas opening up new possibilities, both at bilateral as well as global level.
The two countries upgraded bilateral relationship from ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2009 to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020.
Bilateral mechanisms include high level visits, Annual Meetings of Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue, 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, Joint Trade & Commerce Ministerial Commission, Defence Policy Talks, Australia-India Education Council, Defence Services Staff Talks, Energy Dialogue, JWGs on different issues etc.
