Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks alongside his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
The pair said landmark agreements were made across defence, security, education, energy security and critical minerals.
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What Anthony Albanese said
Written from the verified transcript and checked against it. Every figure links to the moment it was said.
Albanese welcomed Modi to Melbourne for the annual leaders summit, calling India a top-tier security partner. He announced a joint defense declaration to boost strategic coordination and interoperability, a maritime security roadmap, and a cyber critical technologies partnership. Albanese confirmed a trilateral technology MOU with Canada, a temporary space tracking terminal on Cocos Keeling Islands to support India's Gaganyan program, and a joint statement on energy security. He confirmed the administrative arrangement enabling uranium exports to India under the 2015 nuclear agreement, re-awarded major project status for Perturan's Sarah project in Western Australia, and noted refreshed critical minerals cooperation. Albanese also announced the repatriation of an Indigenous ancestor from Chennai and the return of cultural items to India. He emphasized the relationship's strength and the new era of partnership.
Key takeaways
Australia and India released a joint declaration on defense and security cooperation, elevating India to a top-tier security partner.
Australia signed the administrative arrangement enabling uranium exports to India under the 2015 nuclear cooperation agreement.
Australia will commission a temporary space tracking terminal on Cocos Keeling Islands to support India's Gaganyan human space flight program.
Australia re-awarded Perturan major project status for its Sarah project, facilitating development of Australia's largest uranium plant in Karratha.
Australia will repatriate an Indigenous ancestor from Chennai and return cultural items to India.
Numbers and commitments
Figure
What it refers to
Type
At
2015
Australia India nuclear cooperation agreement year
Can I begin by welcoming Prime Minister Modi and his delegation here in Melbourne? Prime Minister Modi, you are a true friend of Australia and it has been a great honor to host you for our annual leaders summit today. Australia and India are close partners and even closer friends. Six years into our comprehensive strategic partnership, Australia's relationship with India has never been more consequential than it is today. Our partnership has never been stronger. We share a focus on deepening and diversifying the relationship between our countries so we can continue to grow from strength to strength. Today we have done exactly that across the breadth of our relationship with new landmark agreements. We are expanding our relationship across defense and security, education, science and technology and energy security and critical minerals. Prime Minister Modi and I have released a joint declaration on defense and security cooperation to deepen our practical partnership. Australia values India as a top tier security partner and the declaration reflects our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. We will boost strategic coordination, increase the complexity of our defense exercises and further build interoperability between our defense forces. We undertake to consult on defense related developments in the Indo-Pacific that affect our shared interests. In addition, we have endorsed a joint maritime security collaboration roadmap and agreed to a new Australia India partnership on cyber critical technologies and supply chains.
Today we have welcomed the signature of the memorandum of understanding for the Australia, Canada, India technology and innovation partnership driving trilateral cooperation with our shared partner Canada on critical and emerging technologies. And as we expand our cooperation in science and technology, we have agreed to commission a temporary space tracking terminal on Cocos Keeling Islands which will support India's landmark Gaganyan human space flight program. Of course, no country has been immune to the economic impacts from the conflict in the Middle East. And as such, the prime minister and I have welcomed a joint statement on energy security. This statement recognizes the importance of supply chain resilience and accelerating the energy transition, including promoting the uptake of renewable energy resources and the electrification of our energy systems. For too long, we have worked with connected supply chains but disconnected approaches. This action is a step to bridge that divide.
Today we can confirm the signing of the administrative arrangement to enable uranium exports to India for peaceful purposes under the 2015 Australia India nuclear cooperation agreement. The arrangement facilitates Australian uranium exports to India to help increase the share of non-fossil fuel power capacity providing an additional market for the Australian resources sector. I'm also pleased to announce that Australia will re-award Perturan major project status for its project Sarah helping facilitate the development of Australia's largest uranium plant in Karatha, Western Australia. Further, we have confirmed their ongoing cooperation on critical minerals, including a refreshed between Geoscience Australia and Geological Survey of India.
Finally, I welcome progress to repatriate the remains of an Australian First Nations ancestor held in the Government Museum of Chennai. The ancestor will be voluntarily and unconditionally repatriated by India to their traditional custodians. In the spirit of friendship, Australia will voluntarily return several items of cultural significance to India previously held in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Prime Minister Modi, I thank you sincerely, you and your delegation for your warm engagement. While we are separated by an ocean, we are indeed the closest of friends. Today marks the next era in our partnership as we are reminded that we need to continue our ongoing work. I invite you, Prime Minister, to deliver your remarks.
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