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Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi during his visit to the Russell Offices, Australia on February 18.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi concluded his official visit to Australia on February 19 reinforcing the growing strategic partnership between India and the country in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the Indian Army, the General held extensive talks during the four-day visit from February 16 to 19 with senior leadership of the Australian defence forces to review bilateral engagements and expand army-to-army cooperation.
In Sydney, the COAS interacted with the leadership of Forces Command (FORCOMD), Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) and the 2nd Division of the Australian Army. The engagements facilitated exchanges on force readiness, operational concepts and training methodologies.
Special emphasis was placed on the bilateral Army Exercise ‘AUSTRAHIND’ with both sides expressing commitment to enriching its forthcoming edition scheduled to be held in India later this year.
Guard of honour
In Canberra, General Dwivedi was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour before holding substantive discussions with Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, Chief of Australian Army. A comprehensive roundtable at the Australian defence forces headquarters covered issues related to force modernisation, emerging technologies and future operational environments.
The Army chief also addressed officers at the Australian Command and Staff College and interacted with the leadership of the Australian Defence College, highlighting the importance of adaptive leadership, jointness and multinational cooperation in navigating contemporary security challenges.
As part of his high-level engagements, General Dwivedi called on the Chief of Defence Forces and the Secretary of the Department of Defence. At Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC), he reviewed Australia’s integrated and multi-domain operational framework with the Commander Joint Operations, gaining insights into joint planning and execution mechanisms.
The visit also included a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian War Memorial, where the COAS paid homage to fallen soldiers and acknowledged the shared legacy of sacrifice.
General Dwivedi’s visit has injected renewed momentum into India-Australia defence ties, strengthened professional bonds at the highest levels of military leadership and underscored the shared resolve of both nations to contribute to peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Published – February 20, 2026 08:49 pm IST
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Army chief concludes four-day Australia visit, boosts bilateral military cooperation
