CDS Gen Anil Chauhan to visit Australia, discuss strengthening defence ties

New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan will embark on an official visit to Australia from March 4 to March 7, underscoring the strengthening defence partnership between India and Australia.

The visit reflects the growing collaboration in military strategy, training, and operational cooperation, the Ministry of Defence announced in a statement on Monday.

During his visit, the CDS will engage in high-level discussions with senior officials from the Australian Department of Defence and the leadership of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

His engagements will include meetings with Australia’s Chief of Defence Force General Admiral David Johnston, Secretary of Defence Greg Moriarty, and the Chiefs of the three Services.

As part of his itinerary, Gen Chauhan will visit the Force Command Headquarters to understand Australia’s operational command structure and explore avenues for joint operations between the two nations.

He will also interact with the Australian Fleet Commander and the Joint Operations Commander to discuss enhanced maritime cooperation and regional security challenges.

Reaffirming India’s commitment to military education and professional development, the CDS will visit the Australian Defence College, where he will address senior officers on strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

Additionally, he will chair a roundtable discussion at the Lowy Institute, Australia’s leading think tank, focusing on Indo-Pacific security dynamics and defence cooperation.

The Ministry of Defence emphasised that this visit highlights the growing engagement between India and Australia under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aimed at strengthening diplomatic and military collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.

India and Australia have steadily built their defence relationship since 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia paved the way for expanding defence cooperation, including research, development, and industry collaboration.

This partnership has since evolved to include regular ministerial meetings, maritime exercises, and service-to-service dialogues.

In October 2015, India’s then-Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral R.K. Dhowan, signed a Technical Agreement on White Shipping Information Exchange during his visit to Australia, further enhancing maritime security cooperation, specifically in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to the Australian High Commission in New Delhi, the two nations share a long-standing defence relationship, dating back to World War I, when soldiers from both countries fought together in Gallipoli and along the Western Front.

The partnership was formally strengthened through the 2006 Memorandum on Defence Cooperation and the 2009 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation.

In recent years, bilateral defence ties have expanded significantly, incorporating strategic dialogues, high-level visits, staff talks, and training exchanges.

General Chauhan’s visit is expected to further solidify this collaboration, enhancing India and Australia’s joint efforts to ensure security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

–IANS