Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin stand at attention for the national anthems of the two nations before meetings at the Pentagon on Wednesday. Photo by Jim Garamone/Department of DefenseSept. 15 (UPI) -- Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton called for alliances to protect the nations and people of the Indo-Pacific region during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday. Strategic challenges facing the Indo-Pacific region were the focus of the U.S.-Australia Defense Policy & Strategy Talks on Aug. 10, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement. The countries have been involved in numerous exercises in the contested South China Sea to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The routine drill is held three or four times a year and aims to strengthen interoperability in the Indo-Pacific region through combat simulations.