Bilateral Updates

India and Australia have agreed to begin developing a Memorandum of Understanding on the Provision of Defence Articles and Defence Services, the two countries said in a joint statement following the second IndiaAustralia Defence Ministers' Dialogue held on June 1, 2026. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosted Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles for the dialogue, where the two sides reviewed progress in the bilateral defence relationship since the inaugural dialogue on October 9, 2025.

Foreign Minister of Australia, Penny Wong, announced that she will visit India to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting and hold the Australia-India Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue. Wong said, "In these uncertain times, the Quad is a vital partnership - four nations working together to shape a peaceful, stable and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific region. Together, Australia, India, Japan and the United States are delivering concrete outcomes on shared interests including maritime security, critical minerals supply, infrastructure development and disaster relief."

The Albanese Government will stand up a team of highly skilled trade and logistics experts to help Australian exporters combat significant shipping and cargo disruptions as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. From today, the Government’s Trade Resilience Service will deliver practical, real-time logistics advice to help businesses and exporters get their goods through the Middle East, or find alternative markets. The service will be delivered by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and will ensure exporters continue to get their goods moving into international markets. With one in four Australian jobs relying on trade, this service will assist and protect export reliant businesses, and identify shipping routes for essential imports, including fertilisers.