India-Australia Defence Corridor A Practical Outcome, Says Ex-PM Scott Morrison

India-Australia defence innovation corridor an outworking of strategic pact: Former PM Scott Morrison

Sydney, July 9

Speaking with ANI, Morrison emphasised that the defence corridor, designed to seamlessly connect defence technology startups and industries between the two nations, was precisely the type of integrated supply chain alignment envisioned when he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi first forged the comprehensive strategic framework.

"I'd say they're an outworking of the agreement. I wouldn't say it elevates the partnership. I think it is already at the elevated level and this is the practical consequences of that being in place. That is the sort of thing I'd envisaged as had Prime Minister Modi when we concluded our comprehensive strategic partnership agreement. It was to enable exactly these types of arrangements to be put in place. I think what's interesting about this agreement is it focuses on trying to connect in the defense sector, where I do a lot of work these days, defense technology startups with the broader ecosystem and- and to see India as part of that ecosystem for Australia and a part of the supply chain and part of the innovation chain," he stated.

Significantly, the former Australian PM highlighted that the emergence of India's domestic defence manufacturing sector is essential for its own state sovereignty, noting it provides a critical pathway for New Delhi to reduce its historical, long-term defence dependencies on nations like Russia.

"India can play a far more significant role when it comes to supporting the defense needs and capabilities of countries all around the world. So the emergence of that industry in India and for India to be more self-sufficient, um, in its own defense production and not reliant on countries like Russia or others which they have been in the past. I think that's a positive development for India's own sovereignty as well as being able to boost the capabilities of other countries and work closely with Australia," he added.

Additionally, regarding the recent joint statement explicitly condemning the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir and the violent incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Morrison underscored that intelligence sharing between New Delhi and Canberra has been built systematically on deep institutional trust. He noted that as this trust continues to mature, the scope of what the two nations share will naturally expand.

Morrison also strongly lauded Prime Minister Modi's global stance and "moral clarity" regarding Israel, contrasting it with what he labelled as a disappointing domestic response within Australia to a deeply troubling rise in anti-Semitism.

"I would highly commend Prime Minister Modi's stance on Israel. He has been an absolute standout amongst world leaders," Morrison noted. "The clear moral clarity that Prime Minister Modi has shown on this question, I think, has been an example to others, and I hope they take it up, including here in Australia," he added.

Concluding his remarks on intelligence cooperation, the former Prime Minister noted that prioritising the security relationship was a crucial precursor to building the mutual trust required to clear the path for closer economic ties, keeping the specific operational mechanisms of that security grid appropriately tightly held.

Earlier, a joint statement issued following the high-level India-Australia Annual Summit revealed a unified, uncompromising front against cross-border violence.

PM Modi and Albanese strongly decried transnational radicalism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, urging the international community to dismantle terror networks with absolute urgency.

They underscored the vital importance of all countries combating the threat of terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner, specifically demanding decisive action against globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities.

This includes individuals and groups formally blacklisted by the United Nations Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee, alongside their various regional proxies, affiliates, sponsors, and financiers.

Recognising the immediate need to enhance operational intelligence-sharing to counter these existential asymmetric threats, PM Modi and Prime Minister Albanese committed to boosting real-time information exchange regarding regional security concerns.

— ANI