Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi has concluded his official visit to Australia (16–19 February 2026), marking a significant step forward in strengthening India–Australia defence cooperation and reinforcing strategic alignment between the two nations.
During the visit, the COAS held wide-ranging interactions with senior leadership of the Australian Defence Forces, reviewing ongoing bilateral engagements and charting avenues to expand army-to-army cooperation. Discussions focused on enhancing the scope and complexity of joint exercises, deepening professional military education exchanges, and advancing interoperability.
In Sydney, General Dwivedi engaged with leaders from Forces Command, Special Operations Command and the 2nd Division of the Australian Army. The exchanges enabled both sides to share perspectives on readiness, operational concepts and training methodologies, with particular emphasis on enriching the forthcoming edition of Exercise AUSTRAHIND, scheduled to be held in India in 2026.
In Canberra, the COAS was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour before substantive talks with the Chief of the Australian Army. Drawing on their shared professional association as alumni of the US Army War College (Class of 2015), the two Chiefs reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening institutional linkages. A comprehensive round-table at ADF Headquarters examined force modernisation, emerging technologies and future operational environments. The COAS also addressed officers at the Australian Command and Staff College and interacted with the leadership of the Australian Defence College, highlighting adaptive leadership, jointness and multinational cooperation.
As part of his engagements, General Dwivedi called on the Chief of Defence Forces and the Secretary of the Department of Defence, and visited Headquarters Joint Operations Command to review Australia’s integrated, multi-domain operational framework. He also laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial, paying homage to fallen soldiers, and met Indian defence veterans in Australia, reinforcing enduring ties with the veteran community.
The visit injected renewed momentum into India–Australia defence ties, strengthened professional bonds at senior leadership levels, and underscored the shared resolve of both nations to contribute to peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
