Sydney [Australia], October 10 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited HMAS Kuttabul, a key Royal Australian Navy (RAN) base located at Potts Point in Sydney, New South Wales.

He was received by Australia's Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil.

During the visit, the Defence Minister was briefed on the operational capabilities and infrastructure of the Royal Australian Navy. He also undertook a water tour of Fleet Base East and a harbour cruise, gaining firsthand insights into Australia's maritime operations and naval preparedness.

HMAS Kuttabul serves as an important administrative, training, logistics, and accommodation centre for naval personnel across Fleet Base East, the main operational base of the Royal Australian Navy on Australia's east coast. The base also supports navy personnel stationed across the greater Sydney region, symbolising the country's strong maritime readiness and strategic focus.

Earlier on Thursday, Singh joined Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, for the inaugural Australia-India Defence Ministers' Dialogue in Sydney. The meeting reflected the growing momentum in the bilateral defence partnership and the shared commitment to a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region.

In a joint statement issued after the dialogue, both Ministers underscored their determination to strengthen cooperation across all domains -- maritime, air, land, cyber, and space.

The two sides discussed a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to enhance maritime cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation.

Highlighting progress in bilateral mechanisms, the Ministers agreed to institutionalise an annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue and welcomed the signing of the Australia-India Implementing Arrangement on Mutual Submarine Rescue Support and Cooperation. They also noted steady advancement towards operationalising the Air-to-Air Refuelling Agreement signed in 2024 and emphasised the importance of information sharing between the two defence establishments.

Both Ministers appreciated the growing scope and complexity of bilateral military exercises. Australia welcomed India's inaugural participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 and looked forward to continued collaboration in Exercise Tarang Shakti and future naval engagements. India, in turn, welcomed Australia's invitation to participate in the submarine rescue exercise Black Carillon.

The two sides also agreed to expand defence education and training exchanges. From 2026, additional Indian officers will join the Australian Defence College, and in 2027, for the first time, an Indian cadet will train at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Both Ministers reaffirmed the importance of defence industrial collaboration, welcoming Australia's first Defence Trade Mission to India and the upcoming Australia-India Defence Industry Roundtable in Sydney. They also expressed interest in advancing cooperation in cutting-edge technologies through the Joint Working Group on Defence Industry, Research and Materiel.

Australia thanked India for offering maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities for Royal Australian Navy ships during their deployments in the Indian Ocean Region. Both nations also agreed to strengthen cooperation to enhance the maritime capabilities of the Indian Ocean states.

The Ministers further reaffirmed their shared vision for a free, open, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, underpinned by international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They welcomed ongoing trilateral cooperation with Indonesia and progress under the Quad framework, which involves Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.

Both sides expressed satisfaction at the growing engagement between their armies, including through Exercise Puk Puk and Exercise Austrahind, and agreed to deepen collaboration in emerging domains such as missile defence, uncrewed systems, and special operations.

The Deputy Prime Minister also invited India to participate in future iterations of Australia's Operation Render Safe, while Rajnath Singh extended an invitation to Minister Richard Marles to visit India in 2025 for the next Annual Defence Ministers' Dialogue. (ANI)