India, Australia Pledge To Boost Defense Relations

Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, made a promise to work together more on defence on Friday. They made the promise at the end of a diplomatic tour where they got to know each other over their shared love of cricket.

The Quad alliance is made up of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. It is seen as a way to stop China from being too aggressive in the Indo-Pacific region.

Albanese’s four-day trip included a reception on India’s first home-made aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, on Thursday, where he talked about new joint military drills.

“Security cooperation is an important part of India and Australia’s comprehensive strategic partnership,” Modi said at a joint press briefing Friday after a private meeting.

Albanese said that defence ties with India had made “significant” and “ambitious” steps forward.

“We talked about how the world’s security situation is getting more uncertain and agreed to strengthen the Australia-India defence and security partnership,” Albanese said.

The leaders met on Friday, one day after they watched the first morning of the fourth cricket Test together in Gujarat, Modi’s home state.

At the beginning of the match, both men did a lap of honour on a cricket-themed golf cart. Australia is trying to avoid losing the series, and India needs a win to get into the World Test Championship.

Albanese told reporters, “On the cricket field, we are competing to be the best in the world, but together we are building a better world.”

Albanese leaves New Delhi on Saturday morning, and Modi will visit Australia in May for the next meeting of the Quad leaders.