General : Malaysia, Australia Move Towards Strategic Defence Collaboration - Khaled

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Australia have agreed to strengthen their defence ties, shifting from cooperation to a closer, strategic collaboration, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced. The decision was made at the sixth Malaysia-Australia High-Level Committee (HLC) Meeting, which Khaled co-chaired with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles in Geelong, Australia.

Khaled revealed that the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) would serve as a crucial mechanism to ensure clear direction and follow-up action for all agreed initiatives. These initiatives encompass technology and defence capability development for both nations, marking a forward movement in Malaysia-Australia defence relations. Khaled shared his thoughts on the development in his official Facebook post, emphasizing the shift from cooperation to collaboration and the strengthening of unity against future security challenges.

Before co-chairing the HLC meeting, Khaled and Marles had a bilateral discussion. The sixth HLC meeting concluded Khaled's three-day working visit to Australia, aimed at evaluating the progress in defence cooperation and outlining the future trajectory of bilateral defence relations. This meeting followed the fifth HLC session held in Kuala Lumpur on August 21, 2025, with the current session focusing on identifying new opportunities for defense cooperation between Malaysia and Australia.