Australia-India submarine rescue agreement and broader defense cooperation. Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a wide-ranging bilateral meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia, Mr Richard Marles, in Canberra on October 09, 2025, during his official two-day visit to Australia.
Australia-India Submarine Agreement
Australia and India have taken a significant step forward in strengthening their maritime security and defense partnership by signing a new agreement focused on mutual submarine rescue operations, alongside deepening cooperation across multiple defense domains.
This milestone agreement was formalized during the first-ever Australia-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, held in Canberra on October 9, 2025, marking the first visit by an Indian defense minister to Australia in over a decade.
The Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles jointly announced the pact, highlighting that it elevates the bilateral relationship from earlier strategic alignment to robust operational cooperation. Among the key components of the agreement is enhanced submarine rescue support — a critical capability for navies operating in the increasingly contested and strategic Indo-Pacific maritime environment.
Submarine Rescue Cooperation
The new mutual submarine rescue pact facilitates coordinated and cooperative efforts between the two countries to respond effectively to submarine emergencies, a rare but high-risk scenario requiring advanced technological capability and swift joint action. India offered to maintain and repair Royal Australian Navy ships at Indian shipyards when these vessels operate in the Indian Ocean, which boosts readiness and operational sustainment in the region. This represents a practical step towards interoperability and mutual logistical support that strengthens regional maritime security.
This accord is aligned with both countries' recognition of the strategic importance of underwater domain safety and underscores their commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and security in the Indo-Pacific, especially in a time of rising geopolitical tensions.
Expansion of Bilateral Defense Cooperation
Beyond submarine rescue, the defense ministers discussed broadening defense collaboration substantially. This includes agreements on information sharing, joint military exercises, and stronger industrial partnerships aimed at defense technology innovation. The ministers committed to hold annual dialogues to sustain and build this cooperation forward.
Australia welcomed India’s participation in its large-scale biennial military drill, Exercise Talisman Sabre, held in 2025, which saw the involvement of over 35,000 troops from multiple countries. India is also invited to join Australia’s submarine rescue exercise Black Carillon, which enhances practical training and interoperability between the two navies in submarine safety and rescue operations.
Strategic and Regional Context
The agreement comes amid a backdrop of growing security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia and India are key members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), which also includes the United States and Japan. The Quad is broadly viewed as a strategic coalition to maintain a balance of power and provide a counterweight to China’s rising influence in the region.
Australia's acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership with the U.S. and U.K. further underscores the strategic importance of this pact. These advanced submarines will be based in Western Australia, closer to the Indian Ocean, aligning with the area where Indian naval assets are operational, thus making the rescue agreement highly relevant.
Enhancing Maritime Security and Operational Readiness
The two ministers unveiled a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to better coordinate maritime activities across the Indian Ocean and the broader Indo-Pacific region. This enhances their ability to jointly address potential threats and maintain peace and stability in these waters.
Information sharing was emphasized as a key part of future cooperation, extending across all military domains. This deeper integration includes plans for joint staff talks serving as a forum for progressing joint exercises, operational planning, and fostering interoperability in sea, air, and possibly emerging domains such as unmanned systems.
Defense Industry and Technology Cooperation
The agreement also accentuates defense industrial collaboration, with Australia launching its first defense trade mission to India and inaugurating an India Pavilion at its Land Forces Expo. Both countries agreed to pursue joint research and technological development through a Joint Working Group on Defense Industry, Research, and Materiel.
India's offer to support maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for Australian naval ships in Indian shipyards highlights practical industrial synergies underpinning military cooperation. This not only strengthens operational logistics but also opens avenues for technology transfer, defense innovation, and economic collaboration in defense sectors.
Cultural and Diplomatic Dimensions
The visit by Rajnath Singh featured symbolic indigenous smoking ceremonies at Canberra’s Parliament House, reflecting respect for local traditions and cultural ties. Both ministers acknowledged the deep-rooted cultural and democratic values shared by Australia and India, which provide a strong foundation for this growing defense partnership.
Singh reiterated India's stand against terrorism and emphasized that terror and dialogue cannot coexist, underlining the shared values and security imperatives that bind the two nations.
Future Outlook
The agreement and ensuing engagements reflect unprecedented progress in Australia-India bilateral defense ties that have been growing since the elevation of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020. The ministers pledged to continue raising the bar for cooperation, with plans to expand participation in joint exercises and exchanges, including more Indian military students joining Australian defense education institutions.
Australia anticipates India’s continued participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2027 and expects to expand submarine rescue cooperation and other maritime activities in the coming years, signaling a long-term, durable partnership focused on Indo-Pacific security.
Australia-India Submarine Agreement
This comprehensive security pact focused on submarine rescue and broader defense collaboration marks a pivotal moment in Indo-Pacific geopolitics. It reinforces Australia and India’s mutual commitment to regional peace, stability, and security, while enhancing operational readiness and defense innovation to meet future challenges.
