Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese concluded the third Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit in Melbourne on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in the six-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The summit produced a suite of agreements focused on reinforcing Indo-Pacific security, securing critical mineral supply chains, and accelerating the clean energy transition.
New Defence and Security Declaration
Central to the summit was the release of a new Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, replacing the 2009 security pact and deepening military integration. Prime Minister Albanese stated, "Australia values India as a top-tier security partner, and the Declaration reflects our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. We will boost strategic coordination, increase the complexity of our defence exercises and further build interoperability between our defence forces."
Prime Minister Modi announced the creation of an India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor, noting, "Through the India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor, we will work to connect defence startups and industries. Our maritime security collaboration roadmap will infuse new strength to our shared efforts in the Indo-Pacific."
Nuclear Cooperation and Uranium Exports
A major breakthrough was the finalisation of administrative arrangements to implement the 2015 Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, paving the way for Australian uranium exports to India for peaceful, IAEA-safeguarded civil nuclear energy. Albanese said, "The arrangement facilitates Australian uranium exports to India to help increase the share of non-fossil fuel power capacity, providing an additional market for the Australian resources sector." Modi added that the agreement would "give our clean energy objectives fresh momentum" as India scales its nuclear baseload capacity by 2047.
Critical Minerals and Technology Partnership
The leaders unveiled the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies, and Supply Chains (PACTS) to develop a "critical minerals corridor" essential for strategic security and clean energy transitions. A new Memorandum of Understanding between Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of India aims to map and uncover new deposits, securing supply chains for global clean energy and high-tech manufacturing.
Space Cooperation for Gaganyaan Mission
The summit agreed to commission a temporary space tracking terminal on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to support India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, providing telemetry tracking for crewed missions. Albanese announced, "As we expand our cooperation in science and technology, we have agreed to commission a temporary space tracking terminal on Cocos Keeling Islands which will support India's landmark Gaganyaan human spaceflight program."
Regional Security and Counter-Terrorism
Amid rising regional tensions, both nations reaffirmed commitment to a "free, open, and prosperous" Indo-Pacific. The leaders endorsed a new Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to improve information sharing and operational coordination between the Indian Coast Guard and Australia's Maritime Border Command. Modi declared, "Both India and Australia believe that terrorism is a serious challenge not just for one single country, but for entire humanity. That is why our fight against terrorism is shared and our resolve is unbreakable."
People-to-People Ties and Cultural Exchange
Emphasising the "living bridge" of the Indian diaspora, the leaders announced the repatriation of an Australian First Nations ancestor held in the Government Museum of Chennai, alongside the return of cultural items from Australian galleries to India. Modi likened the bilateral relationship to a game of cricket.
Economic Cooperation
Both Prime Ministers reaffirmed commitment to finalising a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), aiming for an "ambitious, balanced and win-win" deal building on the 2022 Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement. Modi concluded, "India-Australia partnership is not just a partnership for the present; it is also a partnership for the future," inviting Albanese to return to India for further consultations.
