Forging A New Era: India And Australia’s Strategic Alliance In The Indo-Pacific

The current global order is characterised by nations pursuing their own security and interests, leading to the formation of new alliances and strategic partnerships. Amid this, India and Australia. Both nations are key middle powers in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) who find their interests converging in response to an assertive China. Their partnership, grounded in shared democratic values, economic synergies, and regional stability, is a logical and necessary response to evolving challenges.

Since the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) of 2020, their cooperation in military, trade, and multilateral forums has highlighted how these nations are leveraging commonalities to strengthen their position in the Indo-Pacific. This partnership is not just timely but essential for navigating the complexities of today's multipolar world.

My aim through this assessment is to map the contours of Indo-Australian relations in the present Global Order, identifying the areas of engagement and irritants that need to be addressed to build a comprehensive Geo-Strategic Partnership.

What are the Areas Where India and Australia's Interests Powerfully Align?

IOR/Indo-Pacific Strategy is a core area of strategic alignment. As aformentioned, both nations are key players in the IOR and the Indo-Pacific, a region critical for global trade and security. With more than 80% of the World's Trade flowing through the IOR, this partnership aligns with India's 'Act East' policy and Australia's 'Pacific Step-Up,' emphasising a rules-based order and regional stability.

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), involving India, Australia, the US, and Japan, is one of the cornerstones of this geostrategic alignment, focusing on maritime security, supply chain resilience, and countering China's influence without explicitly targeting it.

As major maritime powers in the Indian Ocean, India and Australia cooperate through the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and bilateral naval exercises such as AUSINDEX. The 2020 Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement enhances military interoperability, enabling joint operations and humanitarian responses. Major defence agreements include the 2006 Memorandum on Defence Cooperation, the 2009 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, and the 2020 Defence Science and Technology Arrangement.

These boost collaboration in defence technology, military exercises, and strategic dialogues, such as the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. The 2023 AUSINDEX exercise, a biennial naval drill, featured advanced operations such as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and air defence, which enhance interoperability.

Exercise MALABAR 2023, hosted by Australia with India, the United States, and Japan, marked a QUAD milestone focused on complex maritime manoeuvres. India's MILAN 2024 exercise in Visakhapatnam included Australian participation. The 2023 Indo-Pacific Endeavour saw joint P-8 aircraft patrols that boosted maritime surveillance.

Australia's Exercise Pitch Black 2022 included the Indian Air Force among 17 nations, expanding on prior mid-air refuelling successes. India's first Tarang Shakti air combat exercise in 2023 also featured Australian participation, strengthening air force coordination.

A November 2024 air-to-air refuelling agreement extended the range of India's P-8I Neptune aircraft, reinforcing joint Indo-Pacific operations. The 2023 General Rawat Young Officers Exchange Program enabled 15 Indian and Australian officers to visit each other's operational units and academies, building long-term military ties. Regular exchanges at India's Defence Services Staff College and Australian training programs, such as Higher Defence Courses, continue to enhance military cooperation.
In the land domain, the Indian and Australian Armies have steadily expanded their operational linkages. The flagship Exercise AUSTRAHIND, first held in 2016, focuses on counter-terrorism, close-quarter battle, and joint tactical operations in complex terrain. Its upcoming edition in November 2025, hosted in Australia, will further deepen interoperability under realistic conditions.

The annual Army-to-Army Staff Talks, upgraded from a biennial format in 2016, provide a critical platform for strategic alignment on doctrine, capability development, and regional security cooperation. Engagements such as the Instructor Exchange Programme at India's Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare (CIJW) School in Vairengte and regular Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) continue to enhance tactical understanding and build professional trust between the two Armies.

The 2020 Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement has enabled exercises such as AUSINDEX and MALABAR by facilitating refuelling and resupply. Australia's liaison officer at India's Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR)since 2021 has improved maritime coordination. These collaborations, utilising shared platforms such as the P-8 aircraft and MH-60R helicopters, demonstrate a firm commitment to a rules-based Indo-Pacific order and address regional security challenges without explicit confrontation.

Driving Innovation: Economic and Technology Partnerships

Economically, the 2022 Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) has made India Australia's seventh-largest trading partner, with cooperation in critical minerals, renewable energy (via the International Solar Alliance), and technology through the Strategic and Technology Policy Initiative (SATPI).

Partnerships such as the Australia-India Critical Minerals Research Partnership and the Strategic and Technology Policy Initiative (SATPI) focus on securing supply chains for rare earths, green energy, and emerging technologies, including hydrogen and cyber. The India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership (REP) and cooperation through the International Solar Alliance (ISA) highlight shared commitments to sustainable development.

Bridging Nations: Cultural Connections and People Power

The Indian diaspora in Australia, the fastest-growing diaspora12, strengthens bilateral ties. The facility facilitates student and professional exchanges, while the Maitri Cultural Partnership promotes cultural collaboration.

Other areas of mutual cooperation beyond China include shared challenges such as Terrorism, Climate Change, Cybersecurity, and Supply Chain Disruptions in the volatile global landscape. Key takeaway: India and Australia jointly address global non-traditional threats to strengthen their partnership beyond traditional security concerns.
Obstacles on the Path to Deeper Partnership

India's strategic autonomy and non-committal stance towards any West-led Bloc have always been limiting factors from the Australian perspective. Key takeaways: Divergences include India's relations with Russia, Australia's collaboration with Pakistan, strategic misalignments (ASEAN focus vs Pacific priorities), India's exclusion from AUKUS, delays and disagreements over the CECA due to tariff and services disputes, and gaps in defence co-operation due to limited army-to-army cooperation and technology transfer barriers.

Charting the Future: Towards Deeper Strategic Alignment

India and Australia must strengthen their partnership as a strategic necessity in the evolving geopolitical landscape. Beyond historical ties, the driving force now is the alignment of core security interests against common threats and the pursuit of national objectives.

Maximising collaboration-across defence, economy, and technology-is key to addressing challenges such as China's assertiveness and global volatility. Both nations must recognise mutual sensitivities and proactively chart a path forward, leveraging their complementary strengths.

This focused alignment, underpinned by shared interests and regional imperatives, will determine their ability to shape stability in the Indo-Pacific. After all, alliances are a means to an end, not an end in themselves; their value lies in the strength they lend to the common purpose of a nation state.

Colonel Danvir Singh (Retd) is a military veteran. He follows developments in weapon systems closely and carries out analysis on matters of Defence, Strategy & Foreign Affairs with special focus on India's neighbourhood. A prolific writer, Col Danvir is the author of the book 'Kashmir's Death Trap: Tales of Perfidy and Valour'.