India, Australia sign uranium export deal, deepen nuclear, maritime ties
India and Australia on Thursday (July 9, 2026) sealed a series of landmark pacts covering civil nuclear power, maritime security and critical minerals sectors, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese reinforced the vital role of the bilateral partnership in ensuring a peaceful Indo-Pacific environment.
The civil nuclear deal, to facilitate the commercial supply of uranium from Australia to India to fuel New Delhi’s nuclear power projects, comes nearly 12 years after the two countries signed a historic civil nuclear cooperation pact.
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In another major decision, India and Australia have decided to fast-track a proposed comprehensive economic cooperation agreement as well as a bilateral investment protection framework.
A joint declaration on defense and security cooperation, a maritime security cooperation plan, a joint declaration on energy security and a partnership for cyber, critical technologies and supply chains were among the 18 pacts signed following summit talks between the two prime ministers.
Mr Modi described as “unprecedented” the results of his talks with Mr Albanes, particularly in the areas of renewable energy, climate action, nuclear power, critical minerals, technology and education.
The agreements sealed at the summit also included an agreement between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Maritime Border Command (MBC) of Australia and will provide cooperation in maritime law enforcement, domain awareness and maritime border protection.
The two sides also promised to work closely together in shipbuilding, ship repair and maintenance.
Mr Modi landed in Australia from Indonesia on the second leg of his three-nation tour, which is aimed at boosting trade, energy and defense ties against the backdrop of an increasingly fragmented geopolitical environment.
Under the provisions of the Energy Security Framework, India and Australia are committed to enhancing energy security by maintaining stable, secure and reliable supplies of coal, diesel, other liquid fuels and natural gas.
The Maritime Security Plan provides defense and security cooperation with a long-term perspective to enhance collective power in addition to deepening cooperation in the defense industrial sector to jointly develop military hardware and build supply chain resilience.
It will also speed up efforts to build interoperability and information sharing between the two sides’ defense forces and expand the deployment of aircraft from the other side’s territory, the document said.
In his statement to the media, Mr Modi elaborated on the achievements in areas such as renewable energy, climate action, nuclear energy, critical minerals, technology and education.
“Today we signed an important nuclear energy agreement. This will open the way for uranium supplies from Australia to India and give new impetus to our clean energy goals,” he said.
“Our cooperation on critical minerals is critical to our strategic security and clean energy transition. With this in mind, we today launched the Australia-India Cyber, Critical Technology and Supply Chain Partnership,” he said.
Critical Minerals Corridor
The prime minister said the two sides would also work together on a critical mineral corridor.
Mr. Modi also mentioned the growing defense engagement between the two countries and emphasized the importance of a free and stable Indo-Pacific.
The new initiatives to boost defense ties come amid growing concerns about China’s growing military presence in the Indo-Pacific.
“The Indo-Pacific is not just the confluence of two oceans. It also symbolizes the shared aspirations of like-minded democracies like India and Australia,” he said.
“Today we issued an important joint statement to strengthen defense and security cooperation. Through the India-Australia Defense Innovation Corridor, we will work to connect defense startups and industries,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that India-Australia maritime security cooperation plan will give new impetus to joint efforts in the Indo-Pacific. “We will also move forward together in shipbuilding, ship repair and maintenance.”
The deployment of an Indian military instructor to the Australian Defense College for 2028-29 was also announced.
Describing India and Australia as two vibrant democracies and oceanic powers, Mr. Modi said the two countries’ shared worldview is an inspiration to move forward with deep mutual trust.
“The Agreement on Economic Cooperation and Trade signed in 2022 has continuously expanded our trade and investment horizons. We have now decided to accelerate work on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which will be balanced, ambitious and mutually beneficial for both countries. We will also make rapid progress on the issue of a bilateral investment treaty,” he said.
Mr. Modi also said that India and Australia have recognized that terrorism poses a serious challenge not just to one country but to the entire humanity.
“That is why our fight against terrorism is common, our resolve unwavering and our cooperation continues to strengthen,” he said.
“We also believe that tensions and conflicts raging in many parts of the world can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. Together, we will further strengthen peace, stability, freedom of navigation and rules-based order throughout the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.
“Focus on Diversifying Ties”
In his remarks, Mr Albanese said Australia’s relationship with India had never been more important than it is today.
Australia’s prime minister said the nuclear pact would facilitate the export of uranium from Australia to India for peaceful purposes.
“The arrangement facilitates Australian uranium exports to India to help increase the share of non-fossil fuel capacity, representing an additional market for Australia’s resources sector,” he said.
Mr Albanese said both sides were focused on diversifying ties to grow from strength to strength.
“After six years of our strategic partnership, Australia’s relationship with India has never been as consistent as it is today. Our partnership has never been stronger,” he said.
“We share a focus on deepening and diversifying the relationship between our countries so that we can continue to grow from strength to strength.”
“Today, we have done just that across the breadth of our relationship. With major new agreements, we are expanding our relationships in defense and security education, science and technology, and energy security and critical minerals,” he said.
Mr Albanese said the joint declaration on defense and security cooperation would ensure a deepening of the “practical partnership”.
“Australia values India as a top security partner and the statement reflects our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”
“We will strengthen strategic coordination, increase the complexity of our defense exercises and further build interoperability between our defense forces,” he said.
After the Modi-Albanian talks, a letter of approval was given to the Australian side for Victoria University to operate its campus in Gurugram.
Flinders University has been issued a separate letter of intent to set up its campus in Bengaluru.