New Delhi, June 1: India and Australia on Monday underscored the importance of freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded maritime trade amid disruptions in energy supply chains following the West Asia crisis as well as concerns over China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
These issues figured prominently during wide-ranging talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in New Delhi.
The two ministers affirmed the importance of enhancing cooperation with regional partners to help maintain a free, open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific while emphasising the strategic importance of defence industrial collaboration and engagement between India and Australia.
Hours after the talks, Marles said at a media briefing that ramping up the overall trajectory of the defence ties will be an important component of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Australia. (PTI)
