India, Australia sign ‘Terms of Reference’

India, Australia sign ‘Terms of Reference’

Part of: Prelims and GS-II – International Relations 

Context The Indian Navy and the Australian Navy have signed the ‘Terms of Reference’ (ToR) for the conduct of the navy to navy talks under the framework of the ‘Joint Guidance for the India-Australia Navy to Navy Relationship’ document, signed by the two Navy Chiefs in August. 

• This is the first such document signed by the Indian Navy with any country.

Key takeaways 

• The document would be pivotal in consolidating the shared commitment to promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region
• The document provided flexibility for the implementation of separate agreements based on the specific outcomes of the talks. 
• The highlights of the document included close cooperation in regional and multilateral fora, including Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).