Nagpur, August 13. As part of his ongoing official visit to India from 11 to 14 August 2025, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, Chief of Army, Australian Army visited HQ Southern Command, Pune and interacted with Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, AVSM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief.
The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation, joint training exercises, military exchange programs and converging perspectives on future warfare. The interaction reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Indian Army and Australian Army to foster stronger military ties and enhance strategic engagement.
Lieutenant General Simon Stuart also visited the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, where he addressed cadets on the topic “Collective Security: An Era of Great Power Competition”. He underscored the importance of interoperability, mutual trust, and coordinated response capabilities in countering evolving security challenges, in an increasingly volatile geo-political environment.
The Australian Army Chief will participate in other defence co-operation engagements on 14 August 2025, prior to returning to New Delhi. A visit to Bharat Forge Limited is planned where the indigenous manufacturing capabilities of the private Indian defence industry will be showcased to the Australian Army Chief.
The visit highlights the growing strategic partnership between the India and Australia and the shared commitment of both nations towards a stable, secure and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
