India, Australia agree on framework for security cooperation

Canberra: India and Australia Tuesday agreed on a framework for security cooperation to reaffirm the bilateral strategic partnership according to which both sides would strengthen defence cooperation and also cooperate on civil nuclear energy and maritime security.

The framework was agreed upon during bilateral talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott.

According to the action plan of the Framework for Security Cooperation, both sides will hold annual prime ministerial meetings, a Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue, regular defence ministers' meeting and annual defence policy talks and regular bilateral maritime exercises.

"Explore defence research and development cooperation, including through visits by Australian and Indian defence material delegations and efforts to foster joint industry links," said an official statement.

Both sides would cooperate in counter-terrorism and other transnational crimes, through cooperation in training and exchange of experts, "exchanges on counter-radicalisation", cooperation on extradition and mutual legal assistance requests and exchanges on cyber policy.

Both would also cooperate on border protection, coast guard, and customs through exchanges and cooperation between the Indian Coast Guard and Australian border protection authorities.

Both sides would cooperate on disarmament, non-proliferation, civil nuclear energy and maritime security, through annual bilateral dialogue on disarmament, non-proliferation and international security, including maritime security, said the official statement.

"Australian support for Indian membership of the export control regimes" and "Early operationalization of civil nuclear energy cooperation and Australia's support for strengthening India's energy security by supply of uranium for India's safeguarded nuclear reactors".

Both would cooperate on these issues in relevant international forums, including the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.

Both sides would cooperate on disaster management and peacekeeping and in regional and multilateral forum like the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum and cooperate on "Support for India's bid to be a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council", it said.

For implementation, the progress under the action plan will be reviewed through established institutional arrangements, including the Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue and the Defence Ministers' Meeting, it said.