India-Australia defence cooperation is growing from "strength to strength" and the defence component of the bilateral ties will "play big" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Australia, the country's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said in New Delhi on Monday.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Marles, also his Australian counterpart, co-chaired the second edition of India-Australia Defence Ministers' Dialogue in New Delhi earlier in the day.

In the evening, the Australian deputy prime minister interacted with mediapersons at the country's high commission in Delhi.

He said in just six months since the first dialogue in October 2025, the two countries have seen significant cooperation from their defence intelligence organisations.

"We spoke six months ago about doing joint air-to-air refuelling. We are very much down (to see)...it happen. We have, as two defence forces, never exercised and trained more together than we are doing it right now," Marles said.

Last year, in Exercise Talisman Sabre, the Indian armed forces participated in it for the first time.

Earlier this year, in Exercise Kakadu – Royal Australian Navy's premier multinational maritime engagement activity – Indian frigate INS Nilgiri took part in the exercise, and in "later next month, we will see a detachment of Rafales from the Indian Air Force participating in Exercise Pitch Black," he added.

"And that is literally the tip of the iceberg. We are training and exercising together across all three services, and beyond that as well, and we are doing so in each other's countries," the Australian deputy PM said.

Marles said he and Singh were mindful as they met today that they did so effectively ahead of the visit by Prime Minister Modi to Australia, to participate in this year's annual leaders' summit with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

"And, we know that defence will be a key part of the discussions that our Prime Ministers undertake, because in their previous summit, defence has been very central, and indeed they have directed us as defence ministers to work significantly in respect of the defence relationship," he said.

"So to that end, we are really pleased that we are near the finalisation of a renewal and strengthening of the joint declaration on defence and security cooperation," Marles said, adding there has been a "significant progress" on the joint maritime security collaboration roadmap.

During the interaction with mediapersons, he also said that given the "great uncertainty" the world is experiencing currently, "I cannot overstate how much, from an Australian point of view, we value our defence relationship with India. It is going from strength to strength."

Marles said that he and Singh are "really aware that defence will play big (role) in terms of the Prime Minister's meeting, coming up shortly."

He also said that there is an expanding economic relationship between the two countries and there is a "growing Indian diaspora" in Australia, which is making a "wonderful contribution to our nation".

On maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, he said Australia shares "strategic alignment" with India, which is backed by "complete trust".

"And that is why it is a key component of the broader defence relationship, which in turn is looming larger in the overall bilateral relationship between our two countries," he said.

On a query on Australia's plan for boosting its submarine capabilities, including a nuclear-powered submarine, he said that as the country is surrounded by three oceans, it is important for Australia to have long-range capable submarines.