Australia, New Zealand Sign Plan Tasman Naval Pact

Australia and New Zealand have signed Plan Tasman, a framework to deepen integration between their navies and improve their ability to operate together across the Indo-Pacific. The agreement covers personnel, training, capability development, warfighting, engineering, regulation, information sharing and international engagement, with the goal of aligning operations and building a more interoperable force. The pact builds on more than 160 years of maritime cooperation and follows the Tasman Navy Framework signed by the two countries’ naval chiefs in November 2024. Officials said the initiative reflects the need to strengthen the alliance as regional security conditions become more contested and complex.