Chief of Royal Australian Navy Visits India to Strengthen Maritime Cooperation

New Delhi: Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, engaged in discussions with Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy, during his official visit to India. The meeting, held in New Delhi, focused on enhancing bilateral maritime cooperation through increased operational engagements, training exchanges, and information sharing initiatives.

As part of his visit, Vice Admiral Hammond paid homage at the National War Memorial, laying a ceremonial wreath to honor the sacrifices of fallen heroes. He was warmly welcomed with a Guard of Honour presented by the Indian Navy at the South Block, New Delhi. Scheduled from April 2 to April 6, 2024, Vice Admiral Hammond’s itinerary includes meetings with the Chief of Defense, Chief of the Air Staff, and Defense Secretary in New Delhi.

During his visit, Vice Admiral Hammond is set to visit the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command in Kochi and the Western Naval Command in Mumbai. At these locations, he will interact with the respective Commanders-in-Chief and tour facilities such as INS Vikrant, the Druv Simulator, ND(Mbi), and M/s MDL.

India and Australia share a common perspective on various maritime security issues in the Indo-Pacific region. Both countries have been actively collaborating in bilateral and multilateral forums, including the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus), and QUAD.

Vice Admiral Hammond’s visit comes following the successful participation of the Royal Australian Ship HMNAS Warramunga in MILAN 24 and recent maritime exercises conducted between the two nations. His visit further strengthens the robust and enduring bilateral relations between the Indian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy.