Prime Ministers Albanese and Modi strengthen Australia-India partnership during landmark visit       

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Australia from 8-10 July 2026, where he met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne for the Australia-India Annual Leaders’ Summit. Six years into the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the Australia-India relationship has never been more consequential, with the leaders announcing a series of landmark outcomes to deepen cooperation across defence and security, trade and investment, cyber and critical technologies, critical minerals, clean energy, education and people-to-people links. The Prime Ministers released a Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, endorsed a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap, welcomed a Memorandum of Understanding on civil maritime security, and launched the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains. They also reaffirmed their commitment to concluding a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, welcomed continued growth in trade under Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement and highlighted AustralianSuper’s additional AUD 500 million investment in India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund.

The visit underscored the breadth of cooperation driving the bilateral relationship. The Prime Ministers met with representatives of the eight Australian universities approved to establish campuses in India and announced Flinders University would be the next Australian tertiary institution to open a campus. They also welcomed expanding vocational education partnerships, including collaboration between Western Australian Technical and Further Education and Indian partners on a Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Mining and Mining Equipment, Technology and Services. The Leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation to support reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply, recognising the critical role of renewable energy and electrification in accelerating the energy transition, strengthening energy security between the two countries. They also welcomed the Administrative Arrangement enabling exports of Australian uranium to India for peaceful purposes and reaffirmed cooperation on critical minerals through a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between Geoscience Australia and the Geological Survey of India. 

The visit celebrated the strong people-to-people ties at the heart of the relationship. At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Prime Ministers announced a new Roadmap for Australia-India sporting cooperation, including plans for a future Big Bash League season opener in Chennai, while launching G’ Day Namaste, Australia’s flagship week-long festival to be held in December. Both Prime Ministers addressed members of the Indian Australian community at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium, in a celebration of the ‘living bridge’ between our two countries. 

In a demonstration of the deepening cultural ties between Australia and India, while Prime Minister Albanese welcomed progress to repatriate an Australian First Nations ancestor from the Government Museum of Chennai. The Prime Minister also announced Australia’s voluntarily return of several culturally significant items held by the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Prime Minister Modi also met the Governor of Victoria and the Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, reflecting the shared interests and enduring partnership between Australia and India.

(Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese with Ruby the Roo at Australia's Iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground)