Why India and Australia are deepening Indo-Pacific security ties: China's expanding footprint

📌 Summary:

• India and Australia agreed to deepen Indo-Pacific security cooperation at the second edition of their Defence Ministers' Dialogue
• Rajnath Singh and Richard Marles agreed to closer sea monitoring (surface and sub-surface) and to finalise a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap
• This builds on the 2020 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) covering military cooperation, intelligence exchange, maritime security and counter-terrorism
• The key driver is China's expanding footprint across the Indo-Pacific

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Internal/Maritime Security & GS2 IR — Indo-Pacific, maritime domain awareness, China challenge

📝 Prelims Facts:

• India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signed in 2020
• Defence Ministers: Rajnath Singh (India), Richard Marles (Australia)
• Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap under finalisation

🔑 Key Term: Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — the highest tier of bilateral partnership covering defence, security and strategic coordination.