India and Australia today share one of their most consequential bilateral partnerships, one that has steadily strengthened over the past decade. At the top, the personal rapport between the two prime ministers has added momentum, but the relationship goes far beyond leadership chemistry.
The relationship spans trade, economic cooperation, defence ties and deep people-to-people connections helped along, not least, by a shared love for cricket.
The Australian National Defence Strategy places a great deal of importance on India, referring to the South Asian nation as “a top-tier security partner”.
#LeftRightCentre | Why India Is Australia’s ‘Top Tier Security Partner’@vishnundtv speaks to Australia’s High Commissioner to India Philip Green (@AusHCIndia) pic.twitter.com/sjyT3ntGhd
— NDTV (@ndtv) April 24, 2026
In an interview with NDTV, Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, said that the geography of both countries, especially in the Northeast Indian Ocean, aligns their strategic priorities.
Defence Cooperation Moves To The Next Level
Green said that the defence engagement between the two countries has intensified rapidly. Bilateral military exercises have tripled, training exchanges have expanded, and cooperation between defence institutions has deepened.
A key focus now is maritime security. Both countries are working towards a comprehensive maritime collaboration roadmap, aimed at strengthening coordination in one of the world’s most critical waterways.
Navigating Regional Tensions And Global Flashpoints
Green said that the situation in the Middle East is affecting both India and Australia.
“It demonstrates how important it is for countries like Australia and India, which believe in a rules-based framework and are strong supporters of the Law of the Sea, for us to collaborate more together,” he said.
He said that Australia is in strong favour of de-escalation and wants a negotiated resolution for the blockades imposed on the Strait of Hormuz.
“Your country and my country are directly affected by this. And the sooner that we can return to normal traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the better,” he said.
Speaking about India’s role in the Indian Ocean, Green stated that he sees Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor of India Ajit Doval working towards stabilising India’s relationship with China.
“And equally, we’ve seen in recent months the relationship between India and Pakistan lower the risk of conflict. And that also is a good thing,” he said.
He added, “But more broadly than those, Australia looks to India, especially across the Indian Ocean, as a stabilising force, as a country which shares our ambition for a region which is governed by rules, which shares our ambition for a region in which no country dominates and no country is dominated.”
He said that Australia sees India through its constructive engagement in the South Pacific and through its policies towards neighbours under pressure.
“We see India operating in a way which underlines stability, and we welcome that,” Green added.
Beyond Security: Education, People Ties And Cultural Connect
The India-Australia relationship is not defined by defence alone. Education has emerged as a major pillar, with Australia leading the way in establishing foreign university campuses in India. Green spoke about how institutions like Deakin University and the University of Wollongong were among the first to set up in Gujarat’s GIFT City, with several more campuses planned across Indian cities.
Australia continues to host over 130,000 Indian students and says that it welcomes more. However, he spoke about how occasionally it sees “elements of fraud in applications” but added that Australia is dealing with it.
