Australian Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday to co-chair the 16th India-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

This engagement marks the 26th meeting between the two ministers, reflecting the sustained depth and frequency of high-level diplomatic exchanges between the two nations in recent years.

The Ministry of External Affairs extended a warm welcome to Wong through an official post on X, underlining the visit as a vital opportunity to advance the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The ministry emphasised that the dialogue would build upon various aspects of bilateral cooperation encompassing defence, trade, technology, and social linkages, while reinforcing shared regional priorities in the Indo-Pacific.

The agenda for discussions is expected to cover a wide range of subjects, including cyber and strategic technology, maritime security, defence collaboration, trade facilitation, sporting cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.

The talks aim to further consolidate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, launched in 2020, and align both countries’ strategic and economic interests in a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment.

Ahead of her visit, Senator Wong said that “Australia and India have never been closer and our partnership never more consequential,” describing it as critical both for national interests and for regional stability. She added that in a sharper and more competitive world, stronger alignment between Canberra and New Delhi would help ensure a more resilient Indo-Pacific architecture.

Wong highlighted that her trip builds on the high momentum of recent diplomatic engagements under the Albanese Government, which seeks to elevate Australia’s relationships across Asia.

Her remarks stressed that this deepening cooperation demonstrates a shared vision for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that values rules-based order and mutual respect among nations.

Referring to Dr Jaishankar as a friend and trusted counterpart, Wong expressed her intent to chart an even more ambitious, future-focused agenda for bilateral ties in the next phase of the relationship.

She reiterated that the areas of cooperation would extend from advanced technology and maritime security to defence modernisation and cultural exchanges, ensuring balanced progress on both strategic and societal levels.

Moreover, Wong affirmed that Australia and India continue to collaborate closely not only on a bilateral basis but also through the Quad framework—alongside Japan and the United States—and within broader multilateral systems. These efforts, she said, aim to strengthen collective security and foster sustainable prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region through practical cooperation.

This ministerial dialogue follows the recent visit of India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Australia in October. During that visit, Minister Singh held extensive talks with Senator Wong and met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Those engagements were hailed as an important boost to defence ties and a reaffirmation of shared strategic interests, particularly in defence manufacturing, maritime domain awareness, and joint exercises.

The ongoing dialogue between Wong and Jaishankar is expected to reinforce the trajectory of mutual trust and complementarity that has increasingly defined India-Australia relations. Both nations view their partnership as a central pillar in maintaining regional stability and promoting an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific order where maritime freedom, technological cooperation, and resilient supply chains play a defining role.

Based On ANI Report