Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation
India and Australia on Thursday signed a Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, committing to accelerate their partnership to counter Chinese hegemony in the Indo-Pacific. The declaration was made after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Melbourne.
The two sides agreed to work together on maritime security, defence industry collaboration, information-sharing, counter-terrorism, and enhanced aircraft deployments in each other's territories. The declaration emphasizes a rules-based architecture based on international law, respect for sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
Commitment to Evolving Partnership
India and Australia agreed to evolve their partnership to meet changing strategic circumstances. The declaration states: “We commit to an acceleration in our advanced, integrated, and top-tier defence and security partnership.” It further recognizes a long-term vision of defence and security collaboration to enhance collective strength and contribute to regional peace and security.
The phrase “open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific” in the declaration is widely interpreted as opposition to Chinese hegemony and its attempts to impede maritime and air traffic. The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is cited, under which China lost a case over South China Sea maritime boundaries.
Deepening Bilateral Defence Cooperation
The two countries committed to strengthening their 2009 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership by deepening strategic dialogue and intensifying cooperation. This includes consultation on defence-related developments in the Indo-Pacific that affect shared interests. Specific measures include enhancing the complexity of military exercises, accelerating interoperability and information-sharing between defence forces, expanding aircraft deployments from each other's territories, deepening connections between defence force personnel through exchanges, education, training, and liaison roles, and exploring opportunities for skilled defence workforce recruitment.
Defence Industry and Supply Chain Resilience
India and Australia committed to working on the growing potential of defence industries by encouraging integration, industry engagement, and building supply chain resilience. The declaration adds: “We will deepen collaboration between our defence innovation ecosystems and develop arrangements for advanced defence science and technology collaboration.”
Counter-Terrorism and Technology Cooperation
The two sides also committed to increasing information sharing on terrorist threats in the region, including entities and individuals, and exploring opportunities for enhanced collaboration to counter violent extremism and terrorism. They will work on new and emerging technology, counter terrorism financing, secure critical infrastructure and crowded spaces, ensure a safer maritime domain, and counter online radicalisation.
Quad Cooperation and Logistics Network
On cooperation within the Quad, which includes the US and Japan, the declaration said: “We will expand our cooperation.” This aims to build capability and cooperation towards an open, stable, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The Quad will strengthen cooperation through information-sharing, expert exchanges, and the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network. The sides also committed to shaping a technology environment that meets their shared vision for a secure and resilient Indo-Pacific.
Cybersecurity and Critical Technologies
India and Australia agreed to harness the potential of cybersecurity and critical and emerging technology cooperation under the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (Australia-India PACTS), and bolster cooperation on strategic technologies.
