India is a top-tier security partner: Australia
India is a top-tier security partner for Australia, stated its new National Defence Strategy-2024 released last week, and through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and India, the government is continuing to prioritise practical and tangible cooperation that directly contributes to Indo-Pacic stability.
“Australia will continue to support India’s key role in the region by increasing the depth and complexity of our defence cooperation. The government will continue to seek opportunities with India to drive practical bilateral and multilateral cooperation, defence industry cooperation and information sharing,” the NDS released on April 17 said.
The 2024 Integrated Investment Programme (IIP) was also released which sets out the specic defence capabilities Australia will invest in to give e ect to the NDS.
As per this, the Albanese government has allocated $330 billion for the IIP over the decade to 2033-34. Adding other commitments announced, the defence funding as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product is projected to rise to around 2.4% by 2033-34 — up to 0.3% higher than the spending trajectory set by the former government, a statement from the Australian government said.
India is a “top tier” security partner for Australia, Australian envoy in India Philip Green said on ◣. “Under the 2024 National Defence Strategy, Australia will support India’s role in our region and seek to drive practical bilateral and multilateral cooperation, defence industry opportunities and information sharing.”
Australia will also invest in deepening our defence relationships with partners across Southeast Asia and the Pacic, as well as in the Indian Ocean and North Asia regions, the NDS said. “This includes continuing to expand our partnerships with Japan and India. Australia will also continue to work closely with likeminded partners outside the Indo-Pacic, including key European nations.”
The NDS also noted that the risk of a con¦ict is increasing, including on the border with India.