Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will embark on a two-day official visit to Australia on October 9–10, 2025, at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Australia, Richard Marles.
The visit holds special significance as it coincides with the fifth anniversary of the India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and marks the first visit of an Indian Defence Minister to Australia under the current government since 2014.
A key highlight of the visit will be bilateral discussions between the two Defence Ministers to strengthen cooperation and explore new avenues in the defence partnership. Rajnath Singh will also chair a business roundtable in Sydney, bringing together industry leaders from both nations to foster collaboration and innovation in the defence and strategic sectors. Additionally, he is scheduled to call on other senior Australian leaders during his visit.
Three significant agreements are expected to be signed, focusing on information sharing, maritime domain cooperation, and joint defence activities. These initiatives are expected to further deepen defence engagement, which already includes military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building, training programmes, ship visits, and bilateral exercises.
India and Australia’s relationship has grown from a Strategic Partnership established in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020, reflecting a shared commitment to regional stability and mutual growth. The two nations are bound by common democratic values, Commonwealth traditions, growing economic ties, and strong people-to-people connections, including the vibrant Indian student community in Australia and close tourism and sporting links.
The visit follows Richard Marles’ trip to India in June 2025, during which he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscoring the continued momentum in the India–Australia strategic partnership.