``India, Australia stand as co-creators of a secure Indo-Pacific``: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Sydney
During a bilateral meeting with Australia's Assistant Minister of Defence Peter Khalil, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "... Today, as we gather under the banner of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2020, we stand at a pivotal juncture to reposition our defense relations not merely as partners but as co-creators of a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific... This partnership has since deepened through regular high-level engagements, including the India-Australia Summit in November 2024 and the 2+2 dialogue held in October 2024. The visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister to India in July 2025 and my ongoing visit to Australia show the deepening relations. This deepening of the relationship is based on many commonalities and the convergence of interests. Both India and Australia are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. Our shared history is built on similar foundations of democracy, diversity, liberty, and governance structures. I firmly believe that a strong and Cooperative bilateral relationship between nations is largely based on three important pillars. A forward-looking government-to-government collaboration, a good civil society, or people-to-people relationship, and a healthy convergence of business interests... Propelled by a conservative effort, India is today globally the fourth largest economy, as well as the fastest growing large economy in the world. India's economic resilience can also be seen from the fact that when the world is witnessing increasing barriers in trade and geo-strategic instability, India's economy has been consistently posting above a 6.5 % growth rate annually. As regards the Indian defence industry, India's defence production touched Rs. 1.51 lakhs crore, which is approximately $18 billion, last financial year. This is an 18 % increase from the previous year's output and the highest year."
