India and Australia finalize uranium export deal and defence pact

India and Australia have operationalised their long‑pending civil nuclear agreement, clearing the way for Australian uranium to be exported to India for peaceful energy generation. The deal was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Melbourne and is part of a package of 18 agreements covering defence, maritime security, critical minerals, renewable‑energy cooperation and investment.

Both leaders said the uranium arrangement will help India meet its target of 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047 and will give Australia a new market for its uranium resources as it diversifies trade away from China. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, “The arrangement facilitates Australian uranium exports to India to help increase the share of non‑fossil‑fuel power capacity.” Modi highlighted “historic opportunities” for cooperation in low‑carbon aluminium, green hydrogen and infrastructure. The two countries also adopted a new Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, expanding military interoperability, joint exercises and maritime security collaboration in the Indo‑Pacific. A new Australia‑India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS) was launched, and AustralianSuper pledged an additional A$500 million to India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund.