India, Australia Condemn Pahalgam Terror Attack; Pledge Stronger Defence, Anti-Terror Ties

By A Staff Reporter

New Delhi – In a key bilateral engagement, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh met with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles in New Delhi today, reinforcing the growing strategic partnership between India and Australia. The meeting was marked by a strong, unified stance against terrorism and a renewed commitment to defence collaboration.

Both leaders strongly condemned the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, in which Indian security personnel were targeted. They expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirmed their joint resolve to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Raksha Mantri Singh highlighted India’s right to respond in self-defence against cross-border terrorism, underlining that India’s actions were “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible.” He emphasized the need for the global community to stand united against state-sponsored terrorism.

The ministers further agreed to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism efforts, intelligence sharing, and capacity building as part of their broader security agenda in the Indo-Pacific region.

One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the signing of the Australia-India Joint Research Project, aimed at boosting defence innovation through collaborative research and development. The two sides expressed optimism about the project’s potential to enhance technological synergy between their defence sectors.

In addition, both ministers committed to intensifying and diversifying defence industry collaboration, focusing on co-development, co-production, and strengthening supply chain resilience. This reflects a mutual interest in building a robust defence partnership that contributes to regional peace, stability, and resilience.