Department of Defence
Issued by Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Acting Defence Minister
Two Royal Australian Navy ships, HMA Ships Anzac (III) and Sirius are conducting a two-month deployment throughout the Northeast Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.
Led by HMAS Anzac, the task group will conduct a number of bilateral and multilateral activities including participating in Exercise La Perouse, a French-led multilateral maritime exercise in the Northeast Indian Ocean.
Acting Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne said the deployment is part of the Australian Defence Force’s robust and longstanding program of international engagements.
“We are strongly committed to our vital work with regional partners to address shared challenges, including our region’s maritime security,” Minister Payne said.
Updated Mar 12, 2021 | 20:03 IST As part of New Delhi s plan to increase defence cooperation with the Quad countries and it s old friend, France, the Indian Navy will be participating in the exercise for the first time. Representational Image | Photo Credit: PTI
As the Quad countries India, the United States of America, Japan and Australia successfully end the first summit-level meeting, plans for a high-profile naval exercise involving the four countries and France have begun.
This is Exercise La Perouse, a naval war-game in the Indian Ocean with France and the Quad countries. As part of New Delhi s plan to increase defence cooperation with the Quad countries and it s old friend, France, the Indian Navy will be participating in the exercise for the first time.