The Indo-Pacific remains a key focus of the Australia-United States alliance, both Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds and Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin affirmed on Jan. 27. Reynolds and Austin spoke for the first time since the new defence secretary took office in January. Reynolds said the meeting was a “warm and productive” conversation between close allies. “Secretary Austin and I had a wide-ranging discussion on the ambitious year ahead to further deepen our cooperation, including progressing the significant outcomes from the 2020 Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) meeting,” Reynolds said. She said the two nations would continue to work with allies and partners to promote security, prosperity, inclusivity, and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. “It is vital that we continue working together across the breadth of our relationship as the Indo-Pacific region evolves and faces new challenges,” she said. Meanwhile, Austin said the United States and Australia were an …