Rajnath holds talks with Aussie Def Min, India-Oz first 2+2 dialogue soon

Rajnath, Aussie minister Dutton review defence ties during telephonic interaction ■

◗ THE MOVE is significant as in recent days Australia’s relation with China has seen a sharp deterioration. India too is facing Chinese aggression at the LAC from last one year.

India and Australia on Tuesday vowed to hold their first-ever ministerial-level 2+2 dialogue “at the earliest opportunity”.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday had a telephonic conversation with his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton.

The 2+2 dialogue will involve defence and foreign ministers from both India and Australia.

The move is significant as in recent days Australia’s relation with China has seen a sharp deterioration. India too is facing Chinese aggression at the Line of Actual

Control (LAC) from last one year.

Both India and Australia along with US and Japan are part of the Quad Alliance, which Beijing sees as an anti-China alliance.

India already has 2+2 foreign and defence ministerial level meeting with other Quad countries US and Japan.

Last year India had invited the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), to participate in naval wargame “Malabar 2020” along with US and Japan.

Last year in June, during the virtual meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison it was

decided that India and Australia will upgrade their “2+2” dialogue from level of secretaries to that of ministers. Foreign and defence ministers of the two countries will meet in the format at least every two years to pursue the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

During their telephonic interaction on Tuesday, both Mr Singh and Mr Dutton reviewed the defence cooperation between the two countries in the backdrop of the current regional situation. Both ministers acknowledged the momentum that defence cooperation between India and Australia has achieved following the upgradation of the partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Jun 2020.

“The participation of

Australia in Exercise MALABAR has been an important milestone in this enhanced partnership,” said defence ministry in a statement.

Both ministers expressed satisfaction at the growing defence ties between the two countries. Both sides reviewed the progress on various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives and expressed commitment to further elevate engagements between the armed forces.

“During the dialogue, both Ministers expressed their intent to convene the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue at the earliest,” said the defence ministry statement.