New Delhi, June 1: Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles on Monday. The two leaders exchanged views on regional development, the Indo-Pacific, and advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between their nations.
Following the meeting, Minister Jaishankar expressed his satisfaction on social media platform X, stating, “I was pleased to meet with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles today. We shared assessments on regional development, the Indo-Pacific, and furthering our comprehensive strategic partnership.”
Earlier in the day, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh co-chaired the second India-Australia Defense Ministers’ Dialogue at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi, where discussions focused on enhancing defense cooperation.
Minister Singh also took to X, writing, “A very productive meeting with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles in New Delhi. We reviewed the full range of bilateral defense cooperation and discussed ways to enhance it.”
He added, “The India-Australia defense partnership is poised for continuous progress in the coming years.”
Marles noted that he and Singh discussed transforming their deep strategic trust into practical defense cooperation. He posted on X, “This week, we held the second annual Australia-India Defense Ministers’ Dialogue, where Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and I discussed turning our deep strategic trust into practical defense cooperation. Peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific depend on our collaboration with partners. Thank you, Minister Rajnath Singh, for hosting me.”
On Sunday, the Defense Ministry reported that Marles’ visit follows the first discussions held in Australia in October 2025, reflecting the growing momentum in the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership.
The ministry stated, “Australia is a key partner in India’s vision of a free, open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. This visit demonstrates the increasing depth and maturity of the India-Australia defense partnership.”
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