New Delhi, May 28, 2026: Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles will embark on an official visit to India next week to participate in the second Australia-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue. The visit, scheduled shortly after Marles attends the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, underscores the growing strategic importance of the India-Australia partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to an official statement from the Australian Government, the primary objective of Marles’ visit is to review bilateral defence cooperation and explore avenues to further strengthen the strategic and military relationship between the two nations. The dialogue follows the first edition of the Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, which was held in Australia in October 2025. This reflects the increasing momentum in defence ties between India and Australia, as both countries seek to enhance their collaboration in response to evolving security challenges in the region.
Speaking ahead of his departure, Marles highlighted the significance of the Shangri-La Dialogue as a crucial platform for engaging with regional partners on shared security concerns. He stated, “In a deteriorating strategic environment, the Shangri-La Dialogue provides an important forum to engage with partners on shared challenges.” He further emphasized Australia’s commitment to deepening diplomatic and defence relationships to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. “We remain committed to deepening diplomatic and defence relationships to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the Indo-Pacific,” he added.
Marles also acknowledged the strong progress made in the defence partnership between Australia and India during Rajnath Singh’s visit to Australia last year. He expressed optimism about further strengthening the ties during his upcoming meeting with the Indian Defence Minister. “Australia and India are top-tier security partners. I look forward to meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to further strengthen our defence partnership following the strong progress we made during his visit to Australia last year,” he said.
During his participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is one of the Indo-Pacific’s leading defence and security forums organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Marles is scheduled to address regional maritime security issues in a plenary session focused on Asia’s maritime security challenges. Additionally, he will hold bilateral meetings with several global and regional defence leaders to discuss collaborative approaches to regional security.
The timing of Marles’ visit is significant, as it comes at a juncture when both countries are looking to enhance their strategic alignment in response to growing geopolitical uncertainties and security threats in the Indo-Pacific. The dialogue is expected to cover a wide range of issues, including defence industry collaboration, joint military exercises, and capacity-building initiatives.
The Australia-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue serves as a key mechanism to institutionalize high-level defence exchanges and foster deeper military-to-military cooperation. With both nations prioritizing a rules-based international order and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, the upcoming talks are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future trajectory of their bilateral defence engagement.
