Modi in Australia: Uranium, Defense Trade Top Agenda with Albanese

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne on Thursday, with a packed agenda that includes critical minerals, trade, defense, and security cooperation. The visit, Modi's second to Australia since 2023, began with his arrival Wednesday night to a red-carpet welcome.

A key point of discussion is expected to be a potential agreement on uranium exports to India. While both nations established a nuclear cooperation pact in 2014, uranium exports have been constrained by concerns over ensuring peaceful use for energy generation. Albanese indicated that "more to say about that with Prime Minister Modi," suggesting constructive engagement on the matter.

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But we've engaged constructively, and so I look forward to, there'll be a range of announcements that we make together.

India is a significant trading partner for Australia, ranking fifth after China, Japan, the U.S., and South Korea. The strong ties are further reflected in the large Australian population of Indian ancestry, estimated at around 1 million people. Modi is scheduled to address thousands of expatriate Indians at a major Melbourne sports stadium on Thursday evening, a characteristic large-scale event he often holds during overseas trips.

Modi's Australia visit follows a trip to Indonesia, where he finalized several deals on agriculture and defense, including the BrahMos cruise missile system. He is scheduled to depart for New Zealand on Friday afternoon before returning to India. Security measures have been heightened around the Melbourne stadium due to reports of potential protests.

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I will have more to say about that with Prime Minister Modi.