Rajnath Singh to visit Australia, first by Defence Minister
What's the story
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be visiting Australia from October 7-10. This will be the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister in nearly 12 years. During his stay, Singh is likely to meet his Australian counterpart and attend important meetings to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries. He is also expected to hold bilateral talks with several Australian leaders during his visit.
Strategic talks
Talks likely to focus on Indo-Pacific region
A major focus of the talks between Singh and his Australian counterpart will be the Indo-Pacific region. Both countries have been pushing for a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific based on international norms. The visit comes after Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles visited India in June. During that visit, Marles condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in India and praised India's restraint in halting military action against Pakistan post-attack.
Leadership praise
Australia appreciated India's restraint after Pahalgam terror attack
Marles had said, "We appreciate the stoppage of military activity, which we see as a strong act of Indian leadership." He reiterated Australia's support for India after the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Notably, Marles was also the first Quad defense minister to visit India since "Operation Sindoor." This operation involved Indian airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territories using long-range weapons like BrahMos cruise missiles in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.