India, Australia Conduct AUSTRAHIND Exercise Amid Broadened Defence Cooperation

India and Australia have commenced the fifth edition of their joint army exercise, AUSTRAHIND, at the Foreign Training Node in Thiruvananthapuram. The exercise, running from October 19th to November 1st, involves approximately 120 personnel from each army, with India's contingent drawn from the Garhwal Rifles and Australia's from its 13 Brigade. A New Zealand observer delegation is attending for the first time, as reported by the Times of India.

The exercise focuses on improving maritime security and interoperability, with troops engaging in joint planning, tactical drills, and combat training under a United Nations mandate. The theme for this edition is joint sub-conventional operations in island and coastal environments under Chapter VII of the UN mandate. Activities include surveillance, reconnaissance, protection of vital installations, and disaster relief contingencies. The Ministry of Defence states the aim is better interoperability and a shared understanding of tactics and procedures in island and coastal terrain. The previous edition was held at Irwin Barracks in Perth in October 2025.

Beyond AUSTRAHIND, the two nations have a wider set of engagements, including the bilateral naval exercise AUSINDEX, the Malabar exercise which includes Japan and the United States, and Australia's Pitch Black air exercise. India participated in Talisman Sabre for the first time in 2025, with enhanced participation anticipated in 2027. Practical arrangements have solidified with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement, announced in June 2020. In November 2024, Air Staff Talks in New Delhi led to an arrangement allowing Australian KC-30 tankers to refuel Indian military aircraft, a precursor to refuelling the Navy's P-8I aircraft.

High-level dialogues have also become regular, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles holding their first Defence Ministers' Dialogue in Canberra on October 9, 2025. They signed agreements on information sharing, submarine search and rescue cooperation, and terms of reference for Joint Staff Talks. The 10th Defence Policy Talks followed in New Delhi on May 8, 2026, led by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad and Australia's First Assistant Secretary Bernard Philip, reviewing maritime cooperation, interoperability, and defence industry links. The ministers met again at the second dialogue in New Delhi on June 1, 2026, reviewing progress on a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap, agreeing to begin work on a memorandum on defence articles and services, and committing to continued aircraft deployments from each other's territory. The first Joint Staff Talks are still expected later this year.

What to watch: The first Joint Staff Talks later this year.

Editor's note: A comprehensive report that effectively integrates all key facts from the source, including dates, personnel numbers, geopolitical context, and specific bilateral agreements.