Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi Reviews Defence Cooperation During Australia Visit

India’s Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi held a series of high-level engagements during his visit to Australia from February 16 to 19, focusing on expanding army-to-army cooperation and reviewing the progress of ongoing bilateral initiatives with India.

According to an official statement, discussions with senior leadership of the Australian Defence Force centred on widening the scope of joint exercises, strengthening exchanges in professional military education and improving interoperability between the two forces. The visit was aimed at advancing defence cooperation and reinforcing strategic alignment between the two countries.

During the trip, Gen Dwivedi called on Australia’s Chief of the Defence Force and the Secretary of the Department of Defence. At the Headquarters Joint Operations Command, he met with Justin Jones, Chief of Joint Operations, who briefed him on Australia’s integrated, multi-domain operational framework, including joint planning and execution processes.

In Sydney, the Army Chief met senior leadership from Australian Army formations, including Forces Command, Special Operations Command and the 2nd Division. The interactions focused on force readiness, evolving operational concepts and training approaches.

Both sides also reviewed progress on the bilateral Army exercise AUSTRAHIND, expressing a commitment to expand its scale and complexity during the next edition, scheduled to be hosted in India in 2026.

In Canberra, Gen Dwivedi held detailed discussions with the Chief of the Australian Army, Simon Stuart. The two officers share a professional link as alumni of the United States Army War College, class of 2015. Officials said their meeting focused on strengthening institutional ties and identifying new areas of cooperation.

A roundtable discussion at the Australian Defence Forces Headquarters also examined issues related to force modernisation, emerging technologies, and the operational challenges likely to shape future battlefields.

Team BharatShakti