New DelhiAustralian Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who is on a four-day visit to India, performed yoga in the national capital on Tuesday on the occasion of the eighth International Day of Yoga and said he would meet his Indian counterpart. , Rajnath Singh. Australian Defense Minister said, “Before a busy few days in India, start the morning with yoga. For a few days, meeting our counterparts and looking at our close partnership. @rajnathsingh,” Australia’s Defense Minister said . Tweet.
Before some busy days here in India, the morning starts with some yoga.
For a few days, looking forward to meeting my counterparts and seeing firsthand our close partnership.@Rajnath Singh @DefenceMinIndia @DefenceAust @dfat @AusHCIndia @AusCG_Mumbai pic.twitter.com/60u27nEVa8— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) 21 June 2022
Marles arrived in India on Monday to hold a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh to strengthen defense and security cooperation between the two countries. His visit is the first high-level visit to Australia after newly elected Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took office on 23 May.
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During his visit from 20-23 June, the Australian Defense Minister will hold his first bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh. “Australia and India are comprehensive strategic partners. I remain committed to strengthening Australia’s defense and security cooperation with India,” Marles said.
“I look forward to meeting my counterpart, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and holding our first bilateral Defense Ministers’ Meeting,” Marles said in a statement. Marles said Rajnath Singh has played a key role in advancing India-Australia defense ties and looks forward to working with him to enhance the defense pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
The Minister also noted that India is one of Australia’s closest security partners and that the Government remains focused on reviving Australia’s historically deep engagement with our partners in the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific region has been under pressure for decades, as we face a change in the geo-strategic system.”
Arrival in India – A top class partner + close friend of Australia.
I look forward to taking forward our existing defense partnership as comprehensive strategic partners and reiterate my commitment to closer cooperation in this area. #indopacific, pic.twitter.com/68bxyCkxyf— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) 20 June 2022
“Australia stands ready to work closely with India in support of an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific.” During the visit, Deputy Prime Minister Marles will also meet External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and engage national security and defense policy makers and personnel. Earlier, Australian PM Albanese had said that relations with India are very important and relations between the two countries have never been so close.
“Our relationship with India is very important and it was a great honor to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” PM Modi congratulated Prime Minister Albany on his election victory. The two leaders reviewed multi-faceted cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership including trade and investment, defense manufacturing, renewable energy, green hydrogen, education, science and technology, agricultural research, sports and people-to-people ties.
The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their desire to continue the positive momentum in bilateral relations. Bilateral discussions with PM Modi focused on the full strategic and economic agenda of Australia and India, including clean energy technology.