India and Australia on Monday carried out a comprehensive review of their strategic engagement and vowed to enhance collaboration to counter the threat of terrorism.
The two sides deliberated on a range of key issues, including the evolving regional security scenario, during the third edition of the India-Australia Foreign and Defence Secretaries' dialogue.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both sides also exchanged views on achieving their shared objective of peace, prosperity and progress in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, while the Australian side was headed by Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty and Foreign Secretary Frances Adamson.
"The two sides welcomed the recent progress made in deepening bilateral, political, economic, security and defence cooperation. They discussed recent regional and global developments," the MEA said.
It said the two sides emphasised the need for enhanced collaboration to counter the threat of terrorism and violent extremism through increased information sharing.
"The two-plus-two meeting provided opportunities for the two sides to review the status of their bilateral relationship in the context of emerging scenarios," the MEA said.
In a separate statement, the defence ministry said the two sides deliberated on prevailing regional security concerns and explored ways for cooperation in the field of defence industry and technology.
"Issues related to bilateral defence engagements, areas to enhance cooperation in the field of defence industry and defence technology as well as the prevailing regional security concerns were discussed," it said.
Official sources said the situation in Indo-Pacific region was a key focus area of the talks.
China has been fast expanding military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region, triggering concern in various countries of the region and beyond.
The two sides also reviewed their maritime cooperation and agreed to further broaden it to protect common interests in the region.
India, Japan, Australia and the US have been working closely in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region under the "Quad" framework.
In November 2017, the four countries gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" Coalition to develop a new strategy for keeping the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.
In the talks, Kumar conveyed India's appreciation towards the ongoing defence engagement between armed forces of the two countries.
Before the two-plus-two dialogue, both the defence secretaries held a bilateral meeting.
The Australian delegation had a meeting with Pankaj Saran, Deputy National Security Advisor, and Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary (East) in the MEA.
