CANBERRA, SEPTEMBER 9/INDIAN ABROAD NEWS DESK
India’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, has begun an official visit to Australia and New Zealand, with his Australia engagements expected to further strengthen maritime and defence cooperation between the two countries.
According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the visit, which began on September 9, is aimed at strengthening the Indian Navy’s bilateral cooperation with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal New Zealand Navy.
During his Australia visit, Admiral Swaminathan will hold bilateral discussions with senior RAN leadership and engage with senior Australian defence leaders. The Ministry said the discussions will provide an opportunity to review ongoing naval cooperation and explore ways to expand operational interaction, interoperability, information sharing, training and professional exchanges.
The New Indian Express reported that the Admiral is scheduled to meet Australia’s Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Matthew Buckley, Chief of the Defence Force Admiral Mark Hammond and Commander Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones. His programme will also include visits to operational and training establishments, with discussions covering maritime capabilities, emerging technologies and professional military education.
The Australia visit comes amid growing momentum in Australia–India defence and security relations. The Ministry of Defence noted that it follows the third Australia–India Annual Summit in July 2026 and the second Australia–India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in June, with both countries continuing to expand cooperation in defence, maritime security and regional affairs.
The New Zealand leg of the visit will include discussions with senior leadership of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and New Zealand’s defence leadership. According to the Ministry, the engagements will focus on operational interaction, information sharing, training and professional exchanges. Admiral Swaminathan will also interact with RNZN personnel and officers undertaking professional military education.
Admiral Swaminathan assumed charge as the 27th Chief of the Naval Staff on May 31. His more than four decades of service in the Indian Navy have included a range of operational, command and senior staff appointments.
For the Indian-Australian community, the Naval Chief’s visit highlights the growing depth of Australia–India maritime cooperation and the increasingly important role of naval engagement in the broader strategic partnership.
India’s Ministry of Defence said the visit reflects India’s commitment to building practical and sustained maritime engagement with Australia and New Zealand, contributing to peace, security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
