Indian Navy chief, Australian Fleet commander discuss future capabilities, interoperability
Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, interacted with Rear Admiral Anita Williams, Commander Australian fleet, at HMAS Kuttabul, Sydney. Image courtesy: X.com/@indiannavy
New Delhi: The chief of the naval staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, met the commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Anita Williams, at HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney on Thursday as his official visit to Australia got underway. The talks focused on the Royal Australian Navy’s evolving fleet capabilities, future inductions and opportunities to strengthen interoperability and operational interaction with the Indian Navy.
The Indian Navy said Admiral Swaminathan also undertook a familiarization tour of HMAS Kuttabul, covering its fleet infrastructure and operational capabilities. The engagement provided the Navy chief a closer view of facilities supporting one of Australia’s principal naval formations.
Williams assumed charge as commander Australian Fleet this year. The appointment is responsible for force generation of Australian Navy fleet units and the maintenance and support of ships, aircraft and other equipment.
No new acquisition, capability sharing arrangement or bilateral defence agreement was announced following the meeting. The Indian Navy also did not identify individual Australian platforms discussed under future inductions.
The discussions come as Australia undertakes a major expansion of its surface fleet. Canberra signed contracts in April for its first three upgraded Mogami-class general-purpose frigates, which will be built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with deliveries beginning in 2029.
Reuters reported that Australia plans to acquire 11 upgraded Mogami-class frigates, with the first three to be built in Japan and the remaining eight planned for construction in Australia. The Australian government says the programme forms part of its commitment to more than double the size of the Royal Australian Navy’s surface-combatant fleet.
The programme provides relevant context to the discussions on Australia’s evolving naval capabilities, but there is no indication that India and Australia discussed joint procurement of the Mogami class or any other specific Australian platform.
Operational cooperation prime focus
India and Australia have steadily expanded naval interoperability through exercises, reciprocal deployments, information sharing and professional exchanges. The bilateral AUSINDEX exercise and the four-nation exercise Malabar provide established platforms for the two navies to conduct coordinated maritime operations.
RNA Media reported on Tuesday that Admiral Swaminathan’s Australia-New Zealand visit would focus on operational interaction, interoperability, information sharing, training and professional exchanges with the Australian navy and New Zealand navy. The report also noted that the visit follows the Second India-Australia defence ministers’ dialogue in June and the Third India-Australia Annual Summit in Melbourne in July.
At the June dialogue, India and Australia agreed to advance maritime domain awareness cooperation, explore undersea domain awareness and improve procedural interoperability during exercises and operations. The July summit subsequently endorsed a maritime security collaboration roadmap covering information sharing, capability development, capacity building and operational coordination.
Admiral Swaminathan’s visit began on Wednesday and also includes New Zealand, where he is scheduled to engage senior naval and defence leadership. The Sydney meeting is the first publicly announced substantive naval engagement of the tour, with fleet capabilities and practical interoperability emerging as the immediate focus.
