India and Australia have signed an arrangement to enable the Indian armed forces and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to conduct air-to-air refuelling of their aircraft.

An Indian Navy P-8I Neptune aircraft is guided onto the apron at RAAF Base Darwin, NT, during Exercise Kakadu 2024. (LACW Aiesha White-Kratz)

The arrangement was announced on Thursday by defence minister Rajnath Singh and Australia’s minister for defence industry Pat Conroy during bilateral discussions on the margins of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Laos.

Under the arrangement, RAAF’s air-to-air refuelling aircraft, the KC-30A multi-role tanker transport, will be able to refuel aircraft of the Indian armed forces, a statement from the Australian defence ministry said. The statement described the arrangement as a “milestone in air interoperability with India”.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh during a meeting with Australian defence minister Pat Conroy on the sidelines of 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus, in Vientiane, Laos. (PTI/IMAGE VIA @rajnathsingh)

The signing of the arrangement is also the first step towards the KC-30A refuelling the Indian Navy’s P-8I Neptune surveillance aircraft, increasing India’s reach in the Indo-Pacific, the statement said.

Air-to-air refuelling significantly enhances the range of combat jets and other military aircraft, allowing them to operate at greater distances from their bases.

The arrangement was signed by RAAF’s deputy chief, Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Reynolds, at the Australia-India air staff talks in New Delhi on November 19. Reynolds welcomed the arrangement, saying it strengthened the defence relationship between the two countries.

“India is a top-tier security partner for Australia, and through our comprehensive strategic partnership, we are continuing to prioritise practical and tangible cooperation that directly contributes to Indo-Pacific stability,” Reynolds said.

“The ability to conduct air-to-air refuelling with the Indian armed forces elevates our interoperability and enables us to cooperate more effectively in a range of different scenarios.”

Reynolds described the arrangement as a “significant step forward in our relationship with India, and will provide valuable opportunities for our personnel to work closely together, share knowledge and expertise, and build trust and understanding”.

India and Australia, both members of Quad, have stepped up defence and security cooperation in recent years, including through exchanges of officers and joint exercises. Australia has also posted a liaison officer at the Indian Navy’s Gurgaon-based Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean region, which has emerged as a major hub for maritime security.

The RAAF also conducts training and engagement activities with the Indian Navy’s P-8I surveillance aircraft.

The four members of Quad – India, Australia, Japan and the US – have also conducted the Malabar naval exercise every year since 2020.