(New Delhi) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi pledged Friday to strengthen their defense ties after a diplomatic meeting.
Australia and India, along with the United States and Japan, are part of the “Quad” (Quadrilateral security dialogue), an informal strategic alliance initiated in 2007 and relaunched in 2017 to counter the military and economic influence of the China in the Indo-Pacific region.
During his four-day visit, Mr. Albanese announced, aboard INS Vikrant, the first Indian-made aircraft carrier, new joint military exercises between India and Australia.
“Security cooperation is an important pillar of the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Australia,” Modi told reporters on Friday after meeting with his Australian counterpart.
Australia’s prime minister said “significant” and “ambitious” progress had been made with India on defence.
“We discussed the increasingly uncertain global security environment and pledged to strengthen the defense and security partnership between Australia and India,” Mr Albanese said.
Friday’s meeting was held the day after the opening of the fourth Test of cricket in Mr Modi’s birth state of Gujarat, which was attended by the two leaders.
Mr. Albanese will leave New Delhi on Saturday morning and will welcome his Indian counterpart to Australia in May, on the occasion of the next meeting of the “Quad”.