The Quad has evolved “swiftly” and very “effectively”, and Australia commends India for taking a strong leadership role in the region, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Friday.

In an address at the Observer Research Foundation, Payne spoke about “significant challenges” facing the Indo-Pacific and that Australia seeks a region where rights of large and small countries are respected, and no “single dominant power” dictates outcome for others.

Her comments are seen as an oblique reference to China, The Indian Express said. “We commend India for taking a strong leadership role in the region,” she said.

Payne and Defence Minister Dutton arrived in New Delhi on Friday on a three-day visit, primarily to take part in the inaugural two-plus-two ministerial dialogue between the two countries Saturday.

“Since India’s independence, generations of Australians have admired the bold nation-building project began by (M K) Gandhi, (Jawaharlal) Nehru, (Vallabhbhai) Patel and (B R) Ambedkar and continued by their successors up to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi,” she said. It is an exciting time to witness the continuous rise of a new India, a country that is both confident, modern, aspirational, vibrant, tech-savvy and a leading Indo-Pacific power, Payne said.

She mentioned the “indispensable role” that Australians of Indian descent, Indian migrants and Indian students are playing in modern Australia. She said the two countries share a common vision for an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific, a region in which states cooperate and resolve differences based on international rules and norms.

In that context, she said, the Quad, comprising India, the US, Australia and Japan, has evolved “swiftly” and very “effectively” over the last two years. One of the key objectives of the Quad is to work for an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific. “It is thoroughly a contemporary grouping,” she said.

 Payne also announced that Australia will contribute $10 million for the India-led coalition for disaster-resilient infrastructure and $1 million for International Solar Alliance, The Indian Express said. 

The two countries held separate discussions on defence cooperation, with India stating that partnership between the two countries is based on a shared vision of free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. The discussions were held between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton.

Calling the discussions on bilateral defence cooperation and regional issues “fruitful”, Singh said: “Both of us are keen to work jointly to realise full potential of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This partnership is based on our shared vision of free, open, inclusive and rule-based Indo-Pacific region. Australia and India have tremendous stake in peace, development and free flow of trade, rules-based order and economic growth in the region.”

 Both countries, along with the US and Japan, are a part of the Quad — or the Quadrilateral coalition that resolved to work towards ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

Singh said the discussions focused on bilateral defence cooperation and expanding military engagements across services, enhancing defence information sharing, cooperation in emerging defence technologies and mutual logistics support. He said India is committed to building a robust partnership with Australia for security and growth of the entire region.

“Both sides noted with happiness that Australia joined the Malabar Exercise in 2020. In this context we also expressed satisfaction in the continued participation of Australia in Malabar Exercise this year,” he said.

The Australian Navy was part of the recent Malabar naval exercise, which also featured navies of India, the US and Japan.

Singh said “I invited Australian industry to take advantage of India’s liberalised foreign direct investment policies in the defence sector. We both agreed that there are opportunities of bilateral collaboration for co-development and co­ production.”

In June last year, India and Australia elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and signed a landmark deal for reciprocal access to military bases for logistics support during an online summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison.