Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephonic conversation with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles on Thursday and discussed closer collaboration between the two countries in the Indo-Pacific.

Through a post on X, Mr Singh stated that a range of issues pertaining to bilateral defence cooperation were reviewed. “We place great value on India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” he said.

The two ministers noted the transformative progress in defence cooperation under the comprehensive strategic partnership, and appreciated the momentum achieved in the ties since the last India-Australia 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, which they attended in November 2023.

Australia considers India as a top-tier security partner in their National Defence Strategy document which was released in 2024.

Mr Marles congratulated Mr Singh for taking charge as the defence minister for a second consecutive term, and appreciated the functioning of the Indian democratic system wherein people voted in large numbers. He also congratulated Mr Singh on ”Team India” becoming the T20 world champions.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh unveiled the results of the 15th round of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF).
The successful projects that have been awarded funding under the prestigious program were announced through a press note.

The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) is a bilateral program that supports collaborative research projects between Australia and India. It aims to strengthen the scientific relationship between the two countries and address common challenges through joint research efforts.

This year, the AISRF has awarded funding to five projects across various disciplines, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, biotechnology, urban mining and electronic waste recycling, ultralow-cost solar and clean hydrogen technologies.

These projects were selected through a rigorous evaluation process, ensuring they meet the highest standards of scientific excellence and have the potential for significant impact.

The selected projects reflect the diverse and cutting-edge research being conducted by Australian and Indian scientists. These initiatives are expected to yield valuable insights and solutions that will benefit both countries and the wider global community.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasised the importance of international collaboration in research and innovation.

He said, “I feel collaboration is crucial in this modern era to address critical global challenges and in fostering sustainable development. The AISRF is a testament to the enduring partnership between India and Australia. I am sure the projects which emerged out of collaboration would result in significant scientific discoveries and technological advancements in areas of mutual interest. While reinforcing our commitment to build a vibrant innovation ecosystem with Australia, I congratulate all the researchers involved with these projects for a prosperous and sustainable future.”