India is strengthening its strategic partnership with Australia, with the two countries having decided to gradually step up their defense cooperation – a development that will also no doubt keep the Chinese strategic establishment on edge. The growing closeness between the two countries was evident Wednesday, when visiting Australian Defense Minister Steven Smith held talks in New Delhi with his Indian counterpart A.K. Antony. The two sides agreed to inject new vigor into their defense cooperation. Smith’s India visit has come just days after Australia’s ruling Labor Party decided to sell uranium to India for power generation. During the talks, Antony and Smith agreed to institute Track 1.5 Dialogues (semi-government level) on defense matters between appropriate institutions on both sides, according to Indian Defense Ministry chief spokesman Sitanshu Kar. Significantly, the defense ministers stressed the importance of freedom of navigation in international waters, a key issue in the region with China having ...
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