By Saurabh Trivedi

Copyright thehindu

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will undertake a two-day official visit to Australia from October 9 to 10, at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia, Richard Marles.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the visit comes at a significant moment as India and Australia are marking five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). It will also be the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia under the current government since 2014.

A highlight of Mr. Singh’s visit will be bilateral talks with his Australian counterpart, aimed at strengthening defence cooperation and exploring new avenues of collaboration. He will also chair a business roundtable in Sydney, attended by industry leaders from both nations, and call on other Australian national leaders, the MoD added.

Three agreements

During the visit, three agreements are expected to be signed, enhancing cooperation in information sharing, the maritime domain, and joint activities. Defence ties between the two countries have steadily deepened, encompassing military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, training programmes, ship visits, and joint exercises, it stated.

India and Australia elevated their relationship from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020. The two nations share a strong foundation of common values — pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth traditions, and growing economic engagement.

Long standing people-to-people ties, the presence of Indian students in Australian universities, and vibrant tourism and sporting links continue to reinforce the enduring friendship between the two countries, it added.

Mr. Marles last visited India in June 2025, when he met his counterpart Rajnath Singh and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.