New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that he is visiting Australia at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles to strengthen bilateral defence ties and mark five years of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, underscoring efforts to enhance cooperation across key strategic and security areas.

In a post on X, the Defence Minister wrote, 'At the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and the Defence Minister @RichardMarlesMP, I am visiting Australia to continue our dialogue and exchange views on areas of mutual interest. Also looking forward to calling on the other national leaders of Australia and exploring ideas for cooperation between both countries.'

https://x.com/rajnathsingh/status/1975497105335537952

He added, 'This visit comes at a historic moment when India and Australia commemorate 5 years of the establishment of India India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). Looking forward to further deepening our partnership.'

Rajnath Singh will undertake a two-day official visit to Australia on October 9-10 at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles, the Ministry of Defence stated in an official release.

The visit coincides with a historic moment as India and Australia commemorate five years since the establishment of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

This will also mark the first-ever visit of a Defence Minister to Australia under this government since 2014.

The key highlight of the Defence Minister's visit will be the bilateral discussions with his Australian counterpart. He will chair a business roundtable in Sydney, which will be attended by industry leaders from both sides.

He will also call on other national leaders of Australia. The visit will provide an important opportunity for both sides to explore new & meaningful initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and the defence partnership.

During the visit, three agreements are planned to be signed, which will further enhance cooperation in the areas of information sharing, the maritime domain, and joint activities.

Defence engagements have expanded over time to include wide-ranging interactions between the services, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity-building and training programmes, cooperation in the maritime domain, ship visits, and bilateral exercises.

India and Australia elevated their bilateral relationship from a Strategic Partnership in 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020. The two nations share a deep bond rooted in common values - pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth traditions, growing economic engagement, and increasing high-level interactions, the statement added.

Long-standing people-to-people connections and the presence of Indian students in Australian universities, as well as robust tourism and sporting ties, have further strengthened the enduring partnership between the two countries.

Marles last visited India in June and met his counterpart, Rajnath Singh, and also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)