India–Australia Joint Military Exercise ‘AustraHind 2025’ Begins

The joint military exercise 'AustraHind 2025' between the armies of India and Australia has begun. The fourth edition of this exercise will be held in Perth, Australia from 13 to 26 October.

• A 120-member Indian Army contingent departed for Irwin Barracks, Perth, Australia on 12 October 2025. This contingent will participate in the fourth edition of the India-Australia joint military exercise 'AustraHind 2025', which will be conducted from 13 to 26 October.
• The Indian Army contingent is being led by a battalion of the Gorkha Rifles along with soldiers from other regiments.
• The objective of the annual exercise AustraHind 2025 is to enhance military cooperation, improve interoperability, and provide a platform for the participating armies to exchange strategies, techniques, and procedures in the field of sub-conventional warfare in urban/semi-urban environments.

Other exercises with Australia

• Australia and India are committed to working together to enhance maritime cooperation and have been conducting AUSINDEX since 2015.
• Exercise Pitch Black is a biennial warfare exercise conducted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
• This exercise will focus on joint company-level operations in open and semi-desert areas, where troops will carry out various operations such as joint planning, tactical drills, and special weapon skills.

India – Australia

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held productive bilateral meetings last week with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles to explore new avenues for strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
• In 2009, India and Australia established a ‘Strategic Partnership’, which included a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, and it was further elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020.
• A civil nuclear cooperation agreement was signed between the two countries in 2014.
• The Australian Parliament passed the "Civil Nuclear Transfer to India Bill 2016", which ensures that uranium mining companies in Australia will be able to fulfil contracts for the supply of Australian uranium to India for peaceful purposes with confidence.