INDIA. Mumbai: A ‘Joint Guidance for the Australia – India Navy to Navy Relationship’ document was signed between the Indian Navy and Royal Australian Navy, virtually by Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy and Vice Admiral Michael J Noonan, Chief of Navy, Australian Navy, on Wednesday.
The document is aligned to the “2020 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” agreed by the Prime Ministers and aims to ensure a shared approach to regional and global security challenges. The Joint Guidance would serve as a guideline document to showcase the intent of both the Navies to work together bi/ multi-laterally. The broad scope of the guidance is focused on developing mutual understanding, cooperate for regional security, collaborate in mutually beneficial activities, and develop interoperability.
The highlights of the document include close cooperation in regional and multilateral fora, including Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and Expert Working Groups subordinate to the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus framework, an official statement said.
Bilateral defence relations between India and Australia have strengthened over the years. ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’, Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, the conduct of trilateral Maritime Security Workshop and RAN participation in Exercise MALABAR are significant milestones that underline the role played by both Navies in bolstering this relationship in recent times. The document would be pivotal in consolidating the shared commitment to promote peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the Indo – Pacific region, the statement added.
Bilateral Maritime Exercise
In another development in continuation with the ongoing deployment of Indian Navy ships in the South China sea INS Ranvijay and INS Kora undertook a Bilateral Maritime Exercise with Vietnam People’s Navy frigate VPNS Ly Thai To(HQ0012) on Wednesday. The similar exercise was also held between Indian Navy and the Royal Bahrain Naval Force(RBNF) in Persian Gulf.
