Mark Hammond, Vice Admiral and head of the Australian Navy, is currently in India on an official visit from April 2 to 6. The aim is to boost the maritime relationship between the two countries. His trip covers important cities and key maritime areas throughout India.
New Delhi, Vice Admiral Hammond met with Admiral R Hari Kumar, head of the Indian Navy, to talk about increasing joint operations, sharing training programs, and exchanging crucial information. He also paid respects at the National War Memorial and received an honor guard from the Indian Navy. Additionally, he has plans to meet with the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of the Air Staff, and Defence Secretary during his stay.
Vice Admiral Hammond's schedule includes stops in Mumbai and Kochi, where he'll meet with local commanders and tour significant naval bases like INS Vikrant, Integrated Simulator Complex, Naval Dockyard (Mumbai), and M/s MDL.
India and Australia have similar perspectives on various maritime safety issues in the Indo-Pacific region and have closely collaborated in bilateral and multilateral forums, such as IONS, IORA, WPNS, ADMM Plus, and QUAD.
This visit by Vice Admiral Hammond follows the involvement of the Royal Australian Ship HMAS Warramunga in MILAN 24 and the AUSINDEX naval exercise in Sydney in August 2023. These interactions highlight both nations' dedication to maritime security and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Vice Admiral Hammond's visit will include a notable tour of INS Vikrant, India's first domestically built aircraft carrier put into service in 2022. This visit holds symbolic significance, highlighting the increasing importance of naval collaboration between Australia and India, emphasizing their mutual commitment to boosting maritime capabilities in the area.
It's noteworthy that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also visited INS Vikrant during his trip to India last year, emphasizing India's position as a top security ally for Australia.
The upcoming visit by the Australian Navy Chief reaffirms the joint dedication of both nations to promoting maritime security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. This visit comes after several recent joint exercises and deployments, illustrating the strengthening maritime alliance between Australia and India.
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