CNS on an official visit to Australia and New Zealand
In Short
The Chief of the Naval Staff will undertake an official visit to Australia and New Zealand
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Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan
Visakhapatnam: Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan will undertake an official visit to Australia and New Zealand commencing September 9. Aimed at further strengthening the Indian Navy’s bilateral cooperation with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), the trip to Australia builds upon the growing momentum in India–Australia relations, following the third India-Australia Annual Summit held in Jul and the second India–Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue held in June. The two countries have continued to deepen cooperation in defence and security, including maritime security.
The CNS will hold bilateral discussions with the RAN’s senior leadership and engage with senior Australian defence leadership. The engagements will provide an opportunity to review ongoing naval cooperation and explore avenues for strengthening operational interaction, interoperability, information sharing, training and professional exchanges between the two navies.
Also, the CNS will tour key operational and training establishments and interact with personnel of the RAN. The engagements will include discussions on maritime capabilities, emerging technologies and professional military education, reflecting the expanding scope of cooperation between the two navies.
The trip to New Zealand builds upon the renewed momentum in India–New Zealand relations, following the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to New Zealand in Jul 2026. India and New Zealand elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and agreed to deepen cooperation across several areas, including defence and maritime security.
In New Zealand, the CNS will hold discussions with the senior leadership of the RNZN and engage with senior New Zealand defence leadership. The engagements will focus on further strengthening operational interaction, information sharing, training and professional exchanges between the two navies. The visit underscores India’s growing defence and maritime engagement with Australia and New Zealand and the Indian Navy’s commitment to further deepen cooperation with the Royal Australian Navy and Royal New Zealand Navy, through practical and sustained maritime engagement, contributing towards peace, security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
