Security cooperation between India and Australia has taken another step forward. The two countries recently completed the inaugural round of a joint military exercise, Austra Hind 2022, involving the Indian and Australian armies. This is notable not only as a sign of India’s growing comfort with its partners in the Indo-Pacific but also as a further indication that the vital relationship between India and Australia is deepening steadily after years of wavering between tentative and downright sceptical. Australia took a rather strong stance against India’s nuclear tests in 1998—something that has rankled many Indian observers. India also blames Australia for scuttling the first effort at creating the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in 2007—now simply known as the Quad—though New Delhi itself didn’t appear altogether enthusiastic about the initiative either back then.
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