Describing India as a "top-tier defence and security partner" for Australia, Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green highlighted the accelerating strategic alignment between the two nations following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Australia from July 8–10 for the third India-Australia Annual Summit.

Speaking at an event organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), High Commissioner Green stated that the joint declaration adopted at the summit demonstrated the expanding breadth of bilateral relations, encompassing defense, maritime security, technology, clean energy, trade, and diaspora connections.

"The joint declaration brings it all together on the security side, and demonstrates that, as we would say, India is now a top-tier defence and security partner for Australia," Green noted.

Identifying the maritime domain as the single most critical pillar of defense cooperation, Green emphasized that the geographic positioning of both countries in the Indo-Pacific makes their collaboration indispensable.

"I've been saying the maritime domain is perhaps the most important between Australia and India in the defence and security sphere," he remarked.

"The maritime domain is perhaps the most important in the defence and security sphere. Australia and India can do a lot, but where it makes the biggest difference is the geographical strategic positioning of our two countries. Neither India nor Australia alone can map the Indian Ocean. That is the importance of our partnership".

To reinforce defense awareness, Green disclosed that Australia is currently upgrading the airfield on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to accommodate larger aircraft, thereby boosting long-range maritime monitoring capabilities.

Beyond defense, the High Commissioner noted that both nations are expanding collaboration in emerging sectors through the Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS) initiative.

"PACTS will allow us to focus on more cutting-edge technology like AI," he explained.

Highlighting energy security, Green affirmed that Australia remains a steadfast energy partner for India. He confirmed that administrative frameworks required to operationalize commercial uranium sales from Australia to India have been fully finalized, concluding a 12-year period where safeguards existed without administrative mechanisms.

"Underneath that energy security domain there was that outcome on the readiness of the sale of uranium. It brings to a close the 12-year period where we had the safeguards agreement but not the administrative framework for the sale of uranium," Green said.

Clarifying the next steps, he added: "Australia signed a nuclear safeguards agreement. Since then, we had not settled the underlying framework for the deal. What has occurred now is that those administrative frameworks are signed and done. The actual sales of uranium will be a matter for our commercial sector. The government framework is now done".

Green outlined three core drivers propelling the expanding bilateral trajectory: deep strategic alignment in an increasingly turbulent world, strong economic complementarity, and a dynamic human component underpinned by over one million people of Indian origin residing in Australia.

Touching upon the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), Green described the grouping as being in "extremely good shape" following recent ministerial meetings, noting that additional foreign ministers' gatherings should be expected before the end of the year.

"A meeting was held just a couple of days ago in Manila of the foreign ministers. That followed two meetings last year and the meeting that I was privileged to attend three months ago here in Delhi. I think the sense of alignment between those four foreign ministers is very strong, and if I read the room right in Delhi, the sense of trust between them is very strong," he observed.

"I think you should anticipate more meetings of foreign ministers this year of the Quad. I think those four want to get together at least once between now and the end of the year".

On Australia's posture toward China, Green affirmed that Canberra's policy remains clear and steady. "Australia's policy on China is pretty clear, very clear, and is not changing. We will operate with China where we can, we will disagree when we must, and we'll always act in our own interests," he reiterated.

He further noted: "China is an important player in global affairs and an important player for Australia bilaterally. In a large trading relationship, there are important aspects of global interests, including climate change, that can't be resolved without China's help. We also have areas where we differ with China, and we have stabilised our relationship so that we can discuss our differences, and occasionally reflect those differences in the public domain in a way that is constructive and dignified".

High Commissioner Green framed India as central to Australia's future economic security and supply chain resilience, observing that recent disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz underscored India's role as a dependable partner for energy security and economic diversification across sectors like electric vehicles, legacy chips, and solar panels.

He added that both nations continue to collaborate through Track 1.5 dialogues while working to strengthen regional bodies such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

Furthermore, Green signaled that Australia, India, and Canada are preparing to deepen trilateral cooperation in critical minerals and advanced technologies.

Source: ANI