Overview
- Marles began his four-day tour on June 2 by meeting leaders in the Maldives, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia to deepen diplomatic and defence ties in the Indo-Pacific.
- His New Delhi stop coincides with the fifth anniversary of the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which underpins bilateral security collaboration in the Indian Ocean.
- In Male and Colombo, discussions will centre on Australian support for sovereign capability development in the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
- Sessions in New Delhi and Jakarta are set to advance negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement following the 2022 Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement.
- Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s congratulations on Marles’s reappointment underscore sustained commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.