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HMA Ships Success and Parramatta have conducted a port visit to Chennai, India, before their involvement in the Australian and Indian Navy’s exercise AUSINDEX.
The two ships were welcomed to the port by Indian Navy personnel and awaiting media, before taking part in community engagements, official hospitality and sporting activities with their Indian Navy counterparts.
Commanding Officer HMAS Success Captain Darren Grogan said, "The visit highlighted the importance of deepening Australia’s engagement with India.
“This year’s iteration of AUSINDEX will see the largest deployment of Australian Defence Force elements in India.
“The relationship between our two countries is fortified by our shared values of democracy and openness.
“India is a significant security partner for Australia in the Indian Ocean and broader Indo-Pacific region.”
Since the bilateral exercise began in 2014, Defence's relationship with India has "continued to strengthen", with defence exercises, meetings and activities between the countries tripling.
Success and Parramatta will be joined by Canberra and Newcastle, as well as other personnel drawn from Navy, Army and Air Force to form the Australian Joint Task Group for AUSINDEX.
Australia's participation in the exercise is part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE19), which sees the Royal Australian Navy visit a number ports in the Indian Ocean and south-east Asia to "strengthen relationships and interoperability with some of Australia’s close partners in the region".
"Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 is a major contribution to this effort. It reinforces Australia’s commitment to engaging all Indo-Pacific nations and promoting regional maritime security co-operation," Minister for Defence Christopher Pyne said of the engagement.
