Addressing the India-Australia Defence Industry Round Table in Sydney, co-chaired with Australia`s Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil MP, Singh said the bilateral relationship has grown remarkably in recent years through sustained high-level engagements and expanding strategic alignment

What began as a strong friendship evolved into a comprehensive partnership in 2020, strengthened by regular high-level engagements, including the India-Australia Summit in November 2024, the 2+2 Dialogue in October 2024, and reciprocal visits by both nations` Defence Ministers, Singh said

He emphasised that the India-Australia relationship stands on three vital pillars -- robust government-to-government collaboration, vibrant people-to-people connections, and expanding business and industrial partnerships

Highlighting the presence of over one million people of Indian origin in Australia, Singh said these human linkages, coupled with growing trade and technology cooperation, form the foundation of a dynamic bilateral relationship. However, he noted that defence industrial collaboration based on joint research, co-production, and innovation still holds significant untapped potential

"India and Australia are natural partners, and this collaboration is both strategically significant and economically beneficial," Singh said