As defence and strategic ties between India and Australia continue to grow, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, Chief of the Australian Army, will embark on a four-day official visit to India from August 10 to 14. The visit is expected to strengthen military cooperation and reinforce the broader Indo-Pacific partnership between the two countries, which has steadily evolved into a pillar of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
During his visit, Lt Gen Stuart will meet Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and hold talks with senior officials from the Ministry of Defence. The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of issues including joint military training, regional stability, and the shared vision of a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
The timing of the visit underscores both countries’ increasing emphasis on regional security cooperation, particularly in light of rising maritime and strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific. India and Australia have institutionalised their defence partnership through regular 2+2 Ministerial Dialogues, Defence Policy Talks, and annual Staff-Level exchanges. These forums have helped deepen operational understanding and laid the groundwork for robust military-to-military engagement.
A major highlight of the growing defence ties has been the joint exercise AUSTRAHIND, which was first launched in 2016. Focused on counter-terrorism operations, jungle warfare, and tactical coordination, the exercise has become a cornerstone of Army-level cooperation between the two countries. The Indian Army has trained alongside Australia’s 1st Brigade in past editions, and the next iteration of AUSTRAHIND is scheduled to be held in Australia in November 2025.
India’s participation in broader multilateral platforms like Exercise Talisman Sabre and the Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE-22) has also added depth to bilateral cooperation. These exercises have included focused modules on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), and close-quarter battle readiness, aligning with the evolving nature of security threats in the region.
In addition to joint field exercises, the India-Australia defence relationship is also supported by a strong training and academic exchange ecosystem. Indian Army officers regularly attend advanced military education programmes in Australia, while their Australian counterparts undergo instruction at premier Indian institutions such as the National Defence College (NDC) and Defence Services Staff College (DSSC). Programmes like the Young Officers Exchange and Instructor Exchange at the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJW) in Vairengte have further institutionalised personnel-level cooperation.
Annual Staff Talks, first initiated in 2010, have become a crucial platform for high-level strategic dialogue, while defence industrial collaboration is also beginning to take shape. Notably, India’s Army Design Bureau and Australia’s Digger Works are exploring joint development of battlefield systems that are both cost-effective and operationally relevant to future conflict scenarios.
Lt Gen Stuart’s visit is expected to mark a new phase in operational synergy and strategic alignment between the two armies. Officials familiar with the agenda said that conversations will likely explore emerging domains such as cyber security, critical technologies, and supply chain resilience within the broader Indo-Pacific security context.
As New Delhi emerges as a regional security partner of choice, particularly in the Indian Ocean Region, the visit signals Australia’s recognition of India’s growing strategic profile. Both countries are expected to reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and an inclusive security architecture in the Indo-Pacific.
With China’s assertiveness increasingly shaping regional security conversations, the India-Australia defence partnership is being seen as a stabilising force in the region. Lt Gen Stuart’s visit is likely to reinforce mutual trust, facilitate tactical alignment, and chart the course for the next chapter in bilateral military cooperation.
