A delegation of young Indian military officers has wrapped up a two-week tour of Australia as part of the General Rawat Exchange Program. According to a statement from the Australian Defence Force, the program’s Australian phase aims to familiarise participants with various operational settings, training methods, and capabilities within an integrated environment.
For many of the Indian officers, this visit marked their first experience in Australia. Their itinerary included visits to key locations such as HMAS Cerberus in southern Victoria and Sydney’s Victoria Barracks.
Major Nathaniel Parry, an Australian Army officer who took part in the inaugural exchange program in India last year, spoke about the opportunity to reconnect with his Indian counterparts during their stay.
“It was really rewarding to have some of the people that I met in India come to Australia for the first time, sharing ideas and learning about each other,” Major Parry said. “We are quite similar in the way we operate, and it was great to share perspectives and continue to develop our relationships.”
Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant Madison Cotton, another participant, pointed out both the shared strategic challenges and the differences between the two countries.
“There are many similarities that we share with India in terms of strategic challenges, but it was also interesting to hear about the different issues that they face, such as challenging working environments due to their varied climates,” Lieutenant Cotton noted, adding that the personal and cultural bonds were forged during the tour.
“It was fun to share their first experiences in Australia, learn about the different ways countries do things, and for them to experience typical Australian things for the first time,” she added.
For Royal Australian Air Force Flying Officer Arunima Vij, who grew up in India, the program was particularly meaningful. It allowed her to connect with the Indian officers and gain valuable insights into their military practices.
“For me, being in the Air Force, speaking with both Army and Navy, really helped me to gain greater strategic awareness,” Flying Officer Vij explained. “As we all know, we are not going to be working in silos of excellence anymore, it is going to be joint.”
She emphasised the importance of the programme in fostering relationships and enhancing her understanding of India’s strategic vision.
“The exchange programme provided me the opportunity to formulate bonds with the Indian Armed Forces, and it broadened my horizons by better understanding India’s strategic perspective in such a complex global strategic environment,” Flying Officer Vij said.
The General Rawat India-Australia Young Defence Officers’ Exchange Program was established in 2022 following an agreement between former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Named in honor of General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Rawat Exchange program seeks to introduce young officers from both nations to each other’s training philosophies and capabilities. By fostering people-to-people connections, the program aims to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between India and Australia.
15 officers, including for female officers from the Australian Defence Force had visited India in March 2023 under the inaugural General Rawat Exchange Program.
Since becoming Comprehensive Strategic Partners in 2020 and signing a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement in 2021, defense cooperation between Australia and India has grown significantly. These agreements have paved the way for more intricate collaboration, with regular defense exercises, strategic dialogues, and training exchanges becoming routine. Through joint exercises, both bilaterally and with other partners, the two nations aim to boost interoperability to address common security threats.
This month, for the first time, the Royal Australian Air Force has deployed combat aircraft to India in support of a multinational exercise. Exercise Tarang Shakti 24 is taking place at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 30 August to 13 September 2024. The Royal Australian Air Force has sent three EA-18G Growler aircraft from No. 6 Squadron, along with up to 120 personnel.
In 2023, several milestones were reached in the defense partnership. Australia hosted Exercise Malabar, a Navy-led drill with India, the U.S., and Japan. An Indian submarine made its first-ever visit to Perth, and Australia and India carried out a trilateral sail with Indonesia. India’s Navy also made a landmark visit to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
At the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in November 2023, both nations committed to further strengthening defense ties in 2024. Plans include expanding maritime domain awareness, conducting more joint exercises, increasing collaboration in science and technology, enhancing information sharing, and deepening institutional connections.
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