India–Australia Maritime Partnership Strengthens Through AUSINDEX 2025

Why in News?

The Indian Naval Ship INS Sahyadri recently participated in AUSINDEX 2025, held in the Northern Pacific region. The exercise forms a key component of India–Australia defence cooperation and aims to boost interoperability between the two navies.

About Exercise AUSINDEX

Overview

• AUSINDEX is a bilateral maritime exercise conducted between the Indian Navy and the Royal Australian Navy.
• It is a biennial (every two years) exercise, first held in 2015.
• It focuses on strengthening the India–Australia strategic and security partnership in the Indo-Pacific.

Aim

• To enhance interoperability,
• Deepen maritime domain cooperation,
• Improve coordination in air, surface, and subsurface operations.

Key Highlights of AUSINDEX 2025

• Warships and aircraft from both navies conducted complex joint operations, including:
  • Anti-submarine warfare drills
  • Gunnery exercises
  • Advanced flying operations
  • Surface tracking and manoeuvre exercises
• The participating platforms included:
  • INS Sahyadri (Indian Navy)
  • HMAS Ballarat (Royal Australian Navy)

These drills strengthen operational synergy for real-world contingencies in the Indo-Pacific.

Significance of AUSINDEX

Enhances India–Australia Strategic Ties

• Reinforces cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).
• Supports both nations’ commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

Strengthens Maritime Security

• Enhances preparedness against maritime challenges such as:
  • Submarine threats
  • Illegal fishing
  • Maritime terrorism
  • Freedom of navigation issues

Improves Warfighting Readiness

• Interoperability in multi-domain operations improves:
  • Tactical coordination
  • Information sharing
  • Maritime domain awareness

Supports Broader Multilateral Frameworks

• Complements other platforms like:
  • Quad
  • Malabar Exercise
  • Indian Ocean Region (IOR) collaborations

Challenges

Operational and Logistical Complexities

• Conducting exercises in remote regions like the Northern Pacific requires:
  • Long-range deployments
  • Multi-layer coordination
  • High resource allocation

Security Dynamics in the Indo-Pacific

• Increasing geostrategic competition, especially involving:
  • China
  • US alliance systems
  • AUKUS developments

creates a complex security backdrop.

Technology Interoperability Limitations

• Differences in naval platforms, data systems, and communication protocols still require harmonisation.

Way Forward

Enhance Frequency & Scope of Exercises

• Expand AUSINDEX to include more advanced operations such as:
  • Underwater autonomous systems
  • Joint ISR operations
  • Carrier/air combat integration

Strengthen Indo-Pacific Coalition Building

• Deepen synergy with Quad partners for secure maritime commons.

Boost Defence Industrial Collaboration

• Promote co-development in:
  • Maritime surveillance systems
  • ASW technologies
  • Naval drones

Expand Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Sharing

• Real-time intelligence exchange can improve regional maritime security.

Other Defence Exercises Between India & Australia