India-Australia joint statement focuses on Indo-Pacific, terrorist threats, nuclear-free world — Highlights

India and Australia on Thursday issued a Joint Declaration on Defense and Security Cooperation with special emphasis on an “open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific”.

Here are the key takeaways from the India-Australia Declaration:

1. Both countries reaffirmed their vitality Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)founded in 2020.

“Since the launch of our CSP, our strategic convergence has accelerated, our economic ties have deepened and the connection between our nations – the living bridge between our nations – has grown stronger,” it said.

Quick answers to key questions

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Key points include reaffirming the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, emphasizing a stable Indo-Pacific, strengthening defense cooperation and addressing regional security challenges.

The partnership is vital to promoting a peaceful, rules-based Indo-Pacific, addressing threats to regional stability and strengthening economic cooperation in the face of global uncertainty.

India and Australia will strengthen maritime security through a cooperation plan, increasing the complexity of defense exercises and enhancing information sharing to address challenges in the maritime domain.

They commit to increasing information sharing on regional terrorist threats and strengthening cooperation to counter violent extremism across sectors such as technology and critical infrastructure.

ECTA reduced tariffs and facilitated faster trade between India and Australia, significantly boosting exports from India to Australia since its introduction.

2. India and Australia expressed concern in their statement “geostrategic uncertainty, and threats to regional peace and stability.

They called on all parties to cooperate peacefully and called for the resolution of disputes without the threat or use of force or coercion and in accordance with international law.

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3. India and Australia also reaffirmed “unwavering commitment to an open, peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific regionn based on: a rules-based architecture based on compliance with international law; respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity; an open, stable and secure maritime area underpinned by adherence to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight; and effective, inclusive and transparent institutions.”

4. The statement further read: “We reaffirm our support for the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), ASEAN and the ASEAN-centric regional architecture and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) as the leading fora for addressing issues in these regions.

5. The statement said India and Australia recognize that their “partnership must evolve to meet changing strategic circumstances and commit to accelerating our advanced, integrated and top defense and security partnership.”

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“We will continue to strengthen strategic exchanges and conduct regular ministerial engagements that reflect the convergence of our strategic interests. long-term vision of defense and security cooperation strengthen collective strength,” the statement said.

“This cooperation will contribute to the security of both countries and make a significant contribution to regional peace and security,” he added.

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6. A joint statement by India and Australia said, “We are committed to strengthening our comprehensive defense cooperation, deepening strategic dialogue and intensifying cooperation, including according to:

A. commitment to consult on defense-related developments in the Indo-Pacific that affect common interests;

b. increasing the complexity of our defense exercises, including with partners;

C. accelerating efforts to build interoperability and information sharing among defense forces;

d. expanding the deployment of aircraft from their territories;

E. deepening links between defense force personnel, including through exchanges, education and training and liaison roles; and

F. exploring opportunities for cooperation in the recruitment of skilled defense personnel.

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7. “Recognizing the centrality of the maritime domain to our defense, security and economic interests, we will increase the depth, sophistication and regularity of cooperation in the field of maritime security. We will enhance maritime cooperation through the India-Australia Maritime Security Cooperation Plan,” the statement said.

8. “We will deepen the cooperation between our defense innovation ecosystems and develop arrangements for advanced defense science and technology cooperation,” the statement said.

10. India and Australia have stated that they will work to promote women’s meaningful participation and leadership in conflict prevention, relief and reconstruction efforts and sustainable peace-building, reaffirming our commitment to promoting gender equality in peacekeeping operations and promoting the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

9. “We are committed to bilateral cooperation and cooperation with partners to support regional economic prosperity and resilience. We will develop more diverse and resilient supply chainscritical infrastructure and connectivity, including critical minerals and clean energy technologies,” the statement said.

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10. “We will work together help shape the technological environment which fulfills our shared vision of a secure and resilient Indo-Pacific,” he said.

“We will work together to leverage the potential of our cyber security and critical and emerging technology mechanisms for cooperation and information sharing under the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS Australia and India) and strengthen cooperation on strategic technologies,” the statement said.

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11. India and Australia have said they are committed increasing information sharing on terrorist threats in our region, including entities and individuals, and exploring opportunities for enhanced cooperation to counter violent extremism and terrorism in sectors including:

A. new and emerging technologies;

b. terrorist financing;

C. critical infrastructure and congested spaces;

d. maritime area; and

E. online radicalization.

12. The statement said: “We will continue to work together under the Partnership Agreement on Migration and Mobility, signed in 2023, which outlines ways cooperate to prevent illegal migrationpeople smuggling and human trafficking. We will also continue to work together to fight transnational organized crime.

13. “We seek peace a world without nuclear weapons and to that end, to reiterate our commitment to non-proliferation and global, complete, non-discriminatory and verifiable nuclear disarmament.

We are committed to continuing to work with other Indo-Pacific partners, including through trilateral cooperation mechanisms and deeper engagement with partners through the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. We will expand our cooperation with the United States of America and Japan to build capabilities and cooperation towards our positive vision of an open, stable, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

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We commit to deepen cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to offer a rapid, coordinated and sustainable response to disasters, recognizing our shared commitment to regional peace, security, prosperity and resilience. We will strengthen cooperation through, among other things:

A. information sharing and exchange of experts; and

b. joint HADR exercises, including the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network, which supports the civilian response to large-scale natural disasters.

“We are committed to exploring opportunities for sharing emergency planning, joint response and coordination during disasters and crises, including support for regional and global evacuation operations in third countries,” India and Australia said in a joint statement.

“In the spirit of our comprehensive strategic partnership, we are fully committed to the implementation of this ambitious program to promote a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region,” he added.