MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian and Indian defense ministers signed a new bilateral security deal Thursday that Australia said upholds Indo-Pacific stability.

Rajnath Singh has become the first Indian defense minister to visit Australia since 2013, his Australian counterpart Richard Marles said.

“Australia and India are top-tier security partners and our defense cooperation delivers practical effects to uphold Indo-Pacific stability,” Marles’ office said in a statement.

Marles and Singh signed an agreement that included establishing a forum for joint staff talks between the two militaries and submarine rescue cooperation.

“The bilateral arrangements that will be signed today reflect the significant growth in our defense partnership and our shared ambition for its future,” Marles

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