Defence Secretary Grant Shapps signed a new Defence and Security Cooperation Agreement during a visit to Canberra
A new Defence and Security Cooperation Agreement was signed today at Parliament House, Canberra, by Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles.
This agreement strengthens our partnership to meet the challenges of a more dangerous world.
It includes an agreement which will make it easier for our Armed Forces to operate together in each other’s countries, as is currently happening through Operation Interflex – the joint training of Ukrainian troops in the UK. It will also help facilitate UK submarine crews visiting Australia as part of the AUKUS partnership.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:
Australia Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said:
The agreement also formalises the already established practice of our nations consulting each other on issues that affect sovereignty and regional security.
The new agreement was signed after the Defence Ministers met for annual talks in Australia, ahead of wider meetings together with Foreign Ministers in Adelaide, known as AUKMIN.