ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/12/2001 30 August 2001
India - Australia strategic dialogue
(Released jointly with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs)
India and Australia shared perceptions on a wide range of regional and global security issues in the inaugural India-Australia Strategic Dialogue held in New Delhi on 30 August 2001.
The dialogue was agreed upon by the Indian and Australian Governments during External Affairs and Defence Minister Jaswant Singh's visit to Australia in June.
The strategic dialogue is a significant addition to the range of Ministerial and officials' level contacts which have developed between Australia and India, and provides a new dimension to bilateral engagement and the expanding defence relationship.
The talks were open, constructive and wide-ranging, and demonstrated shared perspectives and common interests on a number of important issues, including in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. The delegates agreed that both countries were factors for stability in these regions.
The agenda encompassed four broad themes: global security issues; regional security issues; national security and defence policies; and arms control and disarmament. Specific issues discussed included: the role of the major powers; particular security situations in the broad Asia-Pacific region and the role of regional groupings; maritime security; export controls, nuclear and missile non-proliferation, and small arms.
A feature of the talks was the inclusion in each delegation of senior Defence and Armed Forces representatives as well as senior External Affairs officials.
The Australian delegation was led by Mr Bill Paterson (First Assistant Secretary, International Security Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), and included Ms Myra Rowling (First Assistant Secretary, Strategic and International Policy Division, Department of Defence), and the Deputy Chief of Army, Major-General Peter Leahy.
The Indian delegation was led by Dr Sheel Kant Sharma, Joint Secretary (Disarmament & International Security Affairs), and included Joint Secretaries from the Ministry of Defence, Mr. B. A. Roy, and from the National Security Council Secretariat, Mr Arvind Gupta; the delegation also included Air Vice Marshal R. D. Limaye.
The talks will continue at regular annual intervals, with the next round scheduled for Canberra in 2002.
For further details, please contact Mr. Rory Medcalf, First Secretary (Political), Australian High Commission, New Delhi, Phone 6888 223, extension 197.