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India and Australia Finalise Uranium Supply Framework and Elevate Strategic Partnership

The agreement links Australian uranium access to expanded defence, maritime and critical‑minerals cooperation and sets faster economic talks while implementation details remain to be settled.

Overview

  • Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese finalised a commercial framework on Thursday to enable Australian uranium exports for India’s civilian nuclear power programme, building on their 2014 civil‑nuclear pact.
  • The two leaders issued a refreshed Joint Declaration on Defence and Security and unveiled a Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap to boost interoperability, information‑sharing and joint maritime law enforcement.
  • They launched the Australia‑India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS) and agreed to create a Critical Minerals Corridor to secure supplies of lithium, cobalt and other resources for batteries and advanced industries.
  • Both governments committed to fast‑tracking negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and accelerating a Bilateral Investment Treaty while using business forums and diaspora ties to drive investment and skills links.
  • Practical steps and timelines are pending: exports need regulatory approvals and state‑level decisions in Australia, commercial contracts must be struck, and officials will implement personnel measures such as posting an Indian instructor to the Australian Defence College in 2028–29.