India and Australia have finalised the administrative arrangements required to enable long-term export of Australian uranium to India, besides committing to further deepen bilateral energy trade, expand the India–Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), strengthen resilient supply chains and accelerate work on a broader economic partnership.
These announcements were made in a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, held delegation-level talks aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
Here are 10 key takeaways from the Third Australia–India Annual Summit Joint Statement:
1. Australia has reiterated strong support for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group and build on the Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. PM Modi and Albanese have welcomed finalisation and signature of the Administrative Arrangement to enable long-term Australian uranium exports to India for exclusively peaceful purposes and under IAEA safeguards.
2. The two global leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, besides emphasising the importance of all countries combatting the threat of terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner. They have called for action against globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities, including those listed by the United Nations Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee, and their proxies, affiliates, sponsors and financiers. They also recognised the need for enhancing cooperation to effectively counter the challenges of combating terrorism and reiterated their condemnation of terrorist attacks, including the horrific attacks perpetrated at Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam and Bondi Beach.
3. With defence and security cooperation being a cornerstone of the partnership in an increasingly complex strategic environment, PM Modi and Albanese announced the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation. This reflects a step change in the depth and ambition of the bilateral defence and security relationship. Also, they have welcomed the establishment of the Annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue to enhance consultation and cooperation. The joint statement highlights that the defence partnership now extends across all domains.
4. Underscoring the centrality of maritime cooperation towards the vision of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo Pacific, they have agreed to enhance maritime cooperation through the India-Australia Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap. The Maritime Border Command and the Indian Coast Guard have reached the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding to support a secure maritime environment.
5. Acknowledging the significance of professional military education and joint research, they are looking forward to the placement of a visiting military instructor from India at the Australian Defence College in 2028-2029. Also, they welcomed Australia’s upcoming hosting of the fourth iteration of the General Rawat India-Australia Young Officers’ Exchange Program. Further, they underscored the importance of expanding defence science and technology research cooperation across new areas to promote innovative solutions to advanced capability priorities.
6. Welcoming continued growth in two-way trade under the India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), and reducing non-tariff barriers, India and Australia have re-affirmed their commitment to progressing an ambitious, balanced and mutually beneficial Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) to unlock the full potential of the economic relationship. PM Modi and Albanese have acknowledged the complementarities between “Make in India” and “Future Made in Australia” as well as the scope for deeper cooperation across manufacturing, technology and investment. Also, they reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in critical minerals.
7. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment towards deepening cooperation to support reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply along with the importance of accelerating efforts to address climate change. Acknowledging that small island states and other vulnerable developing countries were particularly affected by the impacts of climate change, they reiterated the need to maintain momentum on global climate action and recognised progress under the India–Australia Renewable Energy Partnership. Moreover, they agreed on an Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS), and welcomed the signing of the Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership MOU. They even welcomed Australia’s continued support for India’s Gaganyaan Human Space Flight Program, which includes commissioning of a temporary space tracking terminal on Cocos Keeling Islands, and expressed hope to further deepen collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Australian Space Agency (ASA).
8. Noting that the Indian community in Australia was now Australia’s largest overseas-born group, they have welcomed the announcement of $10 million for the Centre for Australia-India Relations’ Maitri grants to deepen economic collaboration and people-to-people links. They have acknowledged strengthened parliamentary engagement, notably the establishment of a Parliamentary Friendship Group with Australia in India’s Lok Sabha, similar to the Parliamentary Friends of India Group in the Australian Parliament.
9. Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart have welcomed the issuance of the Letter of Intent (LoI) by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to Flinders University to establish its campus in Bengaluru, as well as the Letter of Approval (LoA) to Victoria University to operationalise its campus in Gurugram. Albanese emphasised that Indian students in Australia are welcomed and are valued members of Australian classrooms, campuses and communities. Moreover, they have welcomed the agreement between the Western Australian government and Indian government to support the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Mining at the National Skill Training Institute, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
10. India and Australia have underscored the need for urgent reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which includes greater permanent and non-permanent representation to better reflect contemporary geopolitical realities. Australia has even reiterated its support for India’s candidacy for a permanent seat in a reformed UNSC. “Both Leaders reaffirmed their mutual support for each other’s non-permanent candidatures to the UNSC — India for the 2028–2029 term and Australia for the 2029–2030 term,” the statement added.