Defence Minister Peter Dutton says while some may underestimate the value, strength and depth of the Australia-UK relationship, Britain continues to have one eye on the Pacific region amid increasing instability.
Britain's foreign secretary and defence secretary have landed in Australia for talks on the relationship and the UK's role in the Indo-Pacific.
Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss will meet with Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Thursday, while Mr Dutton will meet with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
All four ministers will then come together as part of the bilateral AUKMIN talks on Friday.
It will be the first 2+2 ministerial meeting hosted in Australia since the start of the pandemic.
Mr Dutton said generations of Australians and British soldiers have fought side by side in conflict to uphold shared values.
"There are decades and generations of people being able to work together, fighting in conflict against common enemies and that is very important into the future," he told 2GB on Thursday ahead of his meeting.
"(The UK) are an important partner for us as a smaller country with only 25 million people. If we are going to deter countries from aggressive behaviour then we are best to do that with strong friends and allies."
Discussions will span ways to bolster co-operation in defence capability, cyber security and critical technology, while the promotion of human rights and gender equality will also be on the agenda.
"It is really about our working together, our close collaboration, the work we are doing on the nuclear submarine program," Mr Dutton said.
"There is (also) a big focus on cyber. Both Australia and the UK get regular attacks from Russia and China and Iran so there is alot of scope for discussion about how we can ... stop that activity and fight back against it."
Ms Truss is then due to attend private meetings with businesses in Adelaide before departing for the UK on Sunday.
Senator Payne said both countries have a shared interest in ensuring stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and globally.
"The international environment is becoming more complex and challenging," she said.
"AUKMIN 2022 will consider ways to strengthen our partnership in order to meet new and emerging threats and seize the many opportunities that this era presents."
Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the two countries would continue to work together, with close defence ties underpinning the relationship.
"Australia and the UK share a common commitment to upholding the rules-based global order and I look forward to discussing how we can work together in support of a safe and secure Indo-Pacific region," Mr Dutton said.
The executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said he would be looking for indications of more joint military exercises, co-operation on technology like nuclear propulsion and the possibility of a British ship operating out of an Australian port.
Peter Jennings says it's possible Britain wanted a more permanent presence in the region given an increasingly aggressive China.
"The consequential European countries understand one of the big strategic problems they face is China," he told Sky News.
"They think it is important to have more military presence in this area."
Mr Jennings said the actions of the Chinese military - including its increasing build up and exercises staging amphibious assaults on islands - points to increasing hostility towards Taiwan.
"The more we can do to persuade China that it is too dangerous and it is not a sensible thing for them to be contemplating the better the chances we can keep the peace," he said.