Category: Australia

This is the largest Australian Army contingent visiting India since the Second World War, marking yet another interoperability milestone…writes Ateet Sharma

As it enters its final phase, the inaugural edition of joint military exercise between Indian and Australian Army ‘AustraHind-2022’ has intensified with women soldiers from both countries taking a lead in the desert of Rajasthan.

The two-week bilateral training exercise – the latest effort in building “positive military relations” between the two Quad partners – kicked off in Bikaner’s Mahajan Field Firing Ranges on November 27 and will end on December 11.

While the Indian Army is being represented by troops from Dogra regiment, the 13th Brigade of the Australian Army’s 2nd Division is participating in the inaugural edition which will be a yearly event now.

This is the largest Australian Army contingent visiting India since the Second World War, marking yet another interoperability milestone.

“This joint exercise will enable the two armies to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for conducting tactical operations at company and platoon level for neutralising hostile threats,” said the Ministry of Defence at the start of the exercise.

Over the last few days, the soldiers have participated in tactical drills in semi-urban terrain and close quarter, sniper action and heliborne insertion practice in a peacekeeping scenario.

At the same time, they also continue to share knowledge and skills to enhance the scope and complexity of their military exercises and engagement activities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Training on new generation equipment and specialist weapons including snipers, surveillance and communication equipment to achieve a high degree of situational awareness apart from casualty management, casualty evacuation and planning logistics at Battalion/Company level have also been held.

Apart from tactical-level info sharing, the soldiers also took part in rotary wing air-land and fast-rope training.

Australia and India are Comprehensive Strategic Partners and Canberra has vowed to work closer with India in support of an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific in view of the fast-changing geostrategic order.

In June, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and also country’s Defence Minister, Richard Marles landed in Goa – the first high-level visit from Australia after the formation of Anthony Albanese government – to personally witness India’s growing prowess in indigenous drone development and autonomous vehicle technology.

In their bilateral meeting in New Delhi on June 22, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Marles welcomed the growing diversity and frequency of defence exercises and exchanges between the two countries.

In September, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar’s undertook a three-day visit to Australia as an Indian Navy P-8I maritime patrol aircraft was deployed to RAAF Base Darwin for the second time in six months for a joint exercise.

During his stay, Admiral Kumar held meetings with the Australian Navy chief Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Vice Chief of Australian Defence Forces Admiral David Johnston, Secretary of Defence Greg Moriarty, Chief of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Air Marshal Robert Chipman and Deputy Chief of Joint Operations Air Vice Marshal Mike Kitcher.

A month later, Australian Defence’s flagship engagement activity ‘Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022’ returned to India for the third time as Royal Australian Navy’s warships HMAS Adelaide and Anzac arrived at the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters in Visakhapatnam.

India and Australia have also been working together closely in several bilateral and multilateral fora such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS).

Highlighting the need for enhanced defence cooperation, Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell stated that as the world becomes more multi-polar, the region’s resilience will be tested.

“At our heart, Australia and India are both Indo-Pacific nations. We share the Indian Ocean – one of the world’s greatest maritime resources. Our geography places us squarely in the middle of the world’s strategic centre of gravity,” the Australian diplomat said while addressing the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) conference in October.

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As a leading educator in STEAM, Nair has more than 20 years of experience in teaching science-based subjects across India, the United Arab Emirates, and now Australia…reports Asian Lite News

An Indian-origin teacher in Australia has received the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in secondary schools.

Melbourne-based Veena Nair, who is ViewBank College’s Head of Technology and STEAM project leader, has been awarded for demonstrating practical application of STEAM to students, and how they can use their skills to make a real impact in the world.

“To be recognised in the Prime Minister’s prizes for science, I am deeply humbled. I am very grateful to my school, to my colleagues, to my students, and to my family,” Nair said in a video message.

“Many people know about STEM — science, technology, engineering and maths, but STEAM is with an A, which is for Art. Art brings in out of the box thinking, and it brings in creativity because students need steam skills to innovate, to become resilient and to take risks,” she said.

As a leading educator in STEAM, Nair has more than 20 years of experience in teaching science-based subjects across India, the United Arab Emirates, and now Australia.

Through her work, she has increased the number of students who receive first round offers to study engineering and technology subjects at university, especially young women and students from diverse backgrounds.

Nair began her teaching career in Mumbai, where she provided computers to low socio-economic schools and taught students how to code.

Nair’s students participate in the Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge — a 10-week program that sees secondary students competing to create the best experiment to launch into space.

The winning project is then sent to the International Space Station. She also supports the Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet program, a STEM-based enterprise development program that gives students the opportunity to engage with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as changemakers at a global level.

Via this program, she has led a team of Australian teachers to conduct STEAM workshops for teachers in low socio-economic schools in Mumbai.

Nair is a BSc in Physics and a BEd in Science and Mathematics from the University of Mumbai and an MEd (maths education) from Deakin University.

She won the Educator of the Year Award by the Design and Technology Teachers’ Association of Australia in 2018.

The annual awards celebrate the contributions of 12 of the country’s leading scientists, innovators and science teachers.

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It is expected that with this agreement, the total bilateral trade will cross USD 45-50 bn in 5 years from the existing USD 31 bn, the ministry added…reports Asian Lite News

The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA) will come into force from December 29, 2022.

This follows the exchange of notification between the two countries after completion of the ratification processes and the necessary domestic requirements, including internal legal procedures, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Wednesday.

The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA) was signed on April 2, 2022. It will enter into force 30 days after this exchange of written notification between India and Australia.

The agreement will significantly enhance bilateral trade in goods and services, create new employment opportunities, raise living standards, and improve the general welfare of the peoples of the two countries.

Industries, businesses, students, and professionals on both the sides are eager to avail the opportunities arising through this agreement, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry pointed out.

It is expected that with this agreement, the total bilateral trade will cross USD 45-50 bn in 5 years from the existing USD 31 bn, the ministry added.

The other expected benefits, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, include:

• Duties on 100 percent tariff lines are to be eliminated by Australia under the agreement.
• It is estimated that an additional 10 lakh jobs would be created in India under ECTA.
• Indian Yoga teachers and chefs are set to gain with the annual visa quota.
• Over 1 lakh Indian students would benefit from post-study work visa (1.5-4 years) under the ECTA.

The agreement is also likely to increase investment opportunities, promote exports, create significant additional employment and facilitate strong bonding between the two countries.

Australia is an important strategic partner of India. Both nations are also part of the four nation QUAD, Trilateral Supply Chain Initiative and the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF).

“ECTA will open a new chapter on India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership between two vibrant economies with shared interest and trade complementarities. The Agreement encompasses cooperation across the entire gamut of bilateral economic and commercial relations between the two friendly countries,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said.

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The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment. Exercise “Austra Hind” will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternately in India and Australia…reports Asian Lite News

The bilateral training exercise “Austra Hind 22” between contingents of the Indian Army and the Australian Army is scheduled to take place at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan from today.

Starting on November 28, the joint exercise will continue till December 11. According to the Ministry of Defence, this is the first exercise in the series of Austra Hind with the participation of all arms and services contingent from both armies. The Australian Army contingent comprising soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division has arrived at the exercise location.

The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment. Exercise “Austra Hind” will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternately in India and Australia.

The aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking multi-domain operations in Semi deserts terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate, said the Defence Ministry statement.

This joint exercise will enable the two armies to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for conducting tactical operations at Company and Platoon level for neutralising hostile threats. Training on new generation equipment and specialist weapons including snipers, surveillance and communication equipment to achieve a high degree of situational awareness apart from casualty management, casualty evacuation and planning logistics at the Battalion/Company level are also planned, the statement added.

During the exercise, the Ministry of Defence said participants will engage in a variety of tasks ranging from joint planning, joint tactical drills, sharing basics of special arms skills and raiding a hostile target. The joint exercise, besides promoting understanding and interoperability between the two armies, will further help in strengthening ties between India and Australia. (ANI)

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The pact is likely to be implemented on a mutually agreeable date…reports Asian Lite News

Australia on Tuesday cleared the free trade agreement (FTA) with India as its Parliament has approved the pact.

Taking to Twitter, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “BREAKING: Our Free Trade Agreement with India has passed through Parliament.”

The pact is likely to be implemented on a mutually agreeable date.

According to Australian law, the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA) needs ratification by that country’s parliament before its implementation.

The pact will enable duty-free access for Australian products in India in sectors like textiles, leather goods, jewellery etc.

Union Commerce and Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal reacted to the development by tweeting: “Delighted that India-Australia Economic Cooperation & Trade Agreement has been passed by Australian Parliament. A result of our deep friendship, it sets the stage for us to unleash the full potential of our trade ties and spur massive economic growth.”

Australia on its part would offer zero duty access to Indian products, which currently attract customs duty to the tune of 4 to 5 per cent in that country.

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This is the largest edition of Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity since it began in 2017…writes Ateet Sharma

Two Australian warships have arrived at the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters in Visakhapatnam as India and Australia continue to enhance their strategic partnership and spearhead efforts to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains open and free.

Royal Australian Navy ships HMAS Adelaide and Anzac, which departed Darwin earlier this month, reached Visakhapatnam for Exercise ‘Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022’ (IPE22) on Sunday.

With five ships, 11 helicopters and about 1800 personnel working with regional partners across the region from India to Indonesia to the Philippines, this is the largest edition of Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity since it began in 2017.

HMA Ships Adelaide and Anzac form the main maritime contingent and will participate in activities and joint training exercises with the Indian Navy in the areas of maritime law, humanitarian assistance and gender, peace and security, as well as military engagement.

One of the largest ships ever built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the 230m-long Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) HMAS Adelaide has eight ship-borne attack helicopters and 543 crew members. The 118m-long Frigate Anzac is manned by a crew of 119.

Kicking off with engagements in Maldives and Timor-Leste late September, IPE22 specially focuses on consolidating partnerships with 14 countries in South and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.

The two Australian warships set sail for India from the Colombo port on October 26 after a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Lankan Navy.

Before departing, IPE22 Commander Commodore Mal Wise had said that he was looking forward to fostering strong relationships with Australia’s Indo-Pacific neighbours from a whole-of-government perspective.

As reported by IndiaNarrative.com earlier, the Anthony Albanese government has made it clear that India is “at the heart” of Australia’s approach to the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) ships’ arrival at the Naval Base in Visakhapatnam comes at a time when both countries, which share the commonality of perspectives on several contemporary maritime security issues in the Indo-Pacific, build their partnership further, especially after the Indian Navy chief’s visit to Australia in September.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral R Hari Kumar’s three-day visit took place as an Indian Navy P-8I maritime patrol aircraft was deployed to RAAF Base Darwin for the second time in six months for a joint exercise.

During his stay, Admiral Kumar held meetings with the Australian Navy chief Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Vice Chief of Australian Defence Forces Admiral David Johnston, Secretary of Defence Greg Moriarty, Chief of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Air Marshal Robert Chipman and Deputy Chief of Joint Operations Air Vice Marshal Mike Kitcher.

He also visited the RAN facilities at HMAS Penguin and Hydrographic School, engaging in discussions on the need for raising the level of synergy and focused efforts for overcoming the challenges of the maritime environment.

India and Australia have also been working together closely in several bilateral and multilateral fora such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS).

“At our heart, Australia and India are both Indo-Pacific nations. We share the Indian Ocean – one of the world’s greatest maritime resources. Our geography places us squarely in the middle of the world’s strategic centre of gravity. And as the world becomes more multi-polar, the region’s resilience will be tested,” Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell said in his address at the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) conference, earlier this month.

Over the next few days, the Indo-Pacific Endeavour is expected to provide further opportunities to both countries as they work together on their common goal of having an open, resilient and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

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