Rajnath Singh to visit Australia on Oct 9-10 to boost defence and bilateral ties

October 6, 2025 1:51 PM

Rajnath Singh to visit Australia on Oct 9-10 to boost defence and bilateral ties

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Australia from October 9-10 for bilateral discussions with his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence. This marks the first visit by an Indian defence minister to Australia since 2014, when the current government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took office. The visit also coincides with India and Australia celebrating five years of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). ...

Australia to spend $1.1 billion on Anduril undersea drone fleet

September 10, 2025 1:10 PM

Australia to spend $1.1 billion on Anduril undersea drone fleet

Australia said it will spend A$1.7 billion ($1.1 billion) on a fleet of "Ghost Shark" autonomous undersea vehicles, developed by its defence force and U.S. startup Anduril Industries, for surveillance and strikes. Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters on Wednesday the Ghost Shark will complement Australia's navy surface fleet and submarines to provide "a more capable and more lethal navy". Dozens of Ghost Sharks will be built in Australia, with opportunities to export to allies, Defen...

Australian defence minister meets PM Modi, backs India’s fight against cross-border terrorism

June 4, 2025 5:25 PM

Australian defence minister meets PM Modi, backs India’s fight against cross-border terrorism

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting marked the fifth anniversary of the India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and underscored both nations’ commitment to further deepening their bilateral ties. PM Modi congratulated Marles on the Australian Labor Party’s historic victory in the recent federal elections, reflecting the strength of the democratic values share...

Rajnath Singh, Australian Deputy PM Richard Marles discuss closer cooperation in Indo-Pacific

July 4, 2024 3:34 PM

Rajnath Singh, Australian Deputy PM Richard Marles discuss closer cooperation in Indo-Pacific

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday held talks with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Richard Marles. The two leaders reviewed issues related to defence cooperation and the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Australia. In a post on X, Rajnath Singh said, "Spoke with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Mr. @RichardMarlesMP. We reviewed a range of issues pertaining to defence cooperation and discussed closer collaboration b...