Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have announced a landmark uranium supply agreement during a high-level summit in Melbourne, a deal that could unlock regular shipments of the nuclear fuel after more than a decade of delays. Meeting at Government House in Melbourne — the official residence of Victoria's Governor — the two leaders also signed a joint declaration on defence and security cooperation, pointing to deepening strategic ties between the two countries.
Australia holds roughly 28 per cent of the world's uranium reserves, but legal hurdles and political sensitivities have blocked consistent exports to India ever since an initial agreement was struck in 2014. The new arrangement is intended to channel Australian uranium to India strictly for civilian nuclear purposes, supporting Modi's ambition to dramatically expand India's nuclear power capacity. India, the world's most populous nation, faces surging electricity demand and has pledged to reach 500 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2070. Modi described the agreement as a "historic opportunity," while Albanese framed it as opening an important new market for Australia's resource sector.
Beyond energy, the two governments outlined plans for a defence innovation corridor to foster collaboration between Indian and Australian defence industries, as well as closer cooperation on critical minerals and liquefied natural gas. "We will work towards bringing peace, stability, freedom of navigation and a rules-based order in the entire region," Modi said, signalling the Indo-Pacific strategic dimension of the partnership. Albanese echoed that framing, saying the bilateral relationship had "never been stronger."
The visit carries considerable cultural weight. India-born residents are now, for the first time on record, the largest overseas-born group in Australia, having surpassed British-born residents — a shift analysts describe as a profound demographic change. Modi later addressed a community rally at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium attended by more than 20,000 members of the Indian-Australian diaspora. Albanese has previously quipped that Modi could draw bigger crowds than American rock legend Bruce Springsteen.
The visit was not without controversy. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have criticised Modi's domestic record, pointing to restrictions on journalists and the targeting of religious minorities. Groups including Australia's Alliance Against Islamophobia staged protests outside the stadium event. Australian Federal Police also formally warned a young person who had made a death threat against Modi ahead of his arrival, and a far-right activist was removed from Modi's Melbourne hotel by police. After Australia, Modi is scheduled to travel to New Zealand as part of a broader regional tour.