Uranium, energy pacts with Australia to charge up India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese said the agreements underlined the importance of their partnership in ensuring a stable Indo-Pacific region. “Today we signed an important agreement in the field of nuclear energy,” Modi said. “This will pave the way for uranium supplies from Australia to India and give new impetus to our clean energy ambitions.”
At the end of the annual summit in Melbourne during Modi’s visit, the two sides announced 18 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs), including a joint declaration on defense and security, a joint declaration on energy ties and a roadmap for cooperation in cyber, critical technologies and supply chains. These include a civil nuclear energy agreement that would allow commercial supplies of uranium to Australia, which has the world’s largest reserves of the material.
Australia’s relationship with India “has never been as meaningful as it is today,” Albanese said. “The arrangement facilitates Australian uranium exports to India to help increase the share of non-fossil fuel power capacity by providing an additional market for the Australian resources sector.”
A stable supply of uranium will enable India to achieve its target of 100 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2047 and achieve developed country status within two decades by meeting its energy needs as it builds data centres, ramps up production and shifts to electric vehicles.
Australia also agreed to maintain a stable, safe and reliable supply of energy products such as coal, diesel, other liquid fuels and natural gas; India is diversifying resources to help avoid supply crunches that have emerged after conflict broke out in West Asia. “Our cooperation in critical minerals is vital for our strategic security and our transition to clean energy,” Modi said. “With this in mind, today we launched the Australia-India Partnership on cyber, critical technologies and supply chains.” He said both parties will work together on the critical mineral corridor.
Prime Minister Modi emphasized the importance of a free and stable Indo-Pacific, citing the growing interest in defense. “The Indo-Pacific is not only the meeting place of two oceans, but also symbolizes the shared aspirations of like-minded democracies such as India and Australia,” he said. “Today, we issued an important joint declaration to enhance cooperation in defense and security. We will work to connect defense startups and industries through the India-Australia Defense Innovation Corridor.”
According to the joint declaration on defense and security, the two sides will consult on defense-related developments that affect common interests in the Indo-Pacific, increase the complexity of defense exercises, step up efforts to establish interoperability and information sharing, expand the deployment of aircraft from each other’s territory, and deepen connections between defense force personnel.
The two sides decided to strengthen maritime cooperation through the India-Australia Maritime Security Cooperation Roadmap. They will promote integration, industry participation and building supply chain resilience. They will also deepen cooperation between defense innovation ecosystems and develop arrangements for advanced defense science and technology cooperation.
Modi said the India-Australia Maritime Security Cooperation Roadmap will give new impetus to joint efforts in the Indo-Pacific. “We will move forward together in ship construction, ship repair and maintenance,” he said.
fight against terrorism
The two countries also enhanced their counterterrorism partnership.
Modi said India and Australia have realized that terrorism “poses a serious threat not just to any country but to all humanity.” “For this reason, our fight against terrorism is common, we have an unwavering determination and our cooperation continues to strengthen,” he said. “We also believe that the tensions and conflicts experienced 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 in the Indo-Pacific region.”
New Delhi and Canberra will explore opportunities for enhanced cooperation to combat violent extremism and terrorism, including new and emerging technology, terrorist financing, critical infrastructure and populated areas, maritime space, and online radicalization.
