A Natural Partner? Intelligence Cooperation with India and Australia’s Regional Interests

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s recent description of India as a “natural partner” in “the top tier of Australia’s partnerships”1 emphasises the continuing emergence of India as a key strategic partner. Although its strategic culture has historically led India to shun ‘natural partners’, mechanisms such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (the ‘Quad’) are gradually strengthening to provide some evidence of converging Australian Indian geostrategic interests.