India and Australia Sign Uranium Supply Agreement to Strengthen Clean Energy Cooperation
India and Australia have signed a new agreement that will allow long-term uranium supplies from Australia to support India’s expanding nuclear energy program.
Speaking after talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Melbourne, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the agreement as an important milestone in bilateral cooperation.
According to Modi, the deal will help advance India’s clean energy goals by providing access to uranium for peaceful nuclear power generation. India has been working to increase its non-fossil fuel energy capacity as electricity demand continues to grow.
Australia possesses one of the world’s largest uranium reserves, accounting for approximately 28 percent of known global resources. Although the two countries signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement in 2015, commercial uranium exports had remained limited because of regulatory and procedural requirements.
Under the new arrangement, Australian uranium will be supplied exclusively for peaceful purposes and will remain subject to safeguards overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Prime Minister Albanese said the agreement would strengthen energy cooperation between the two nations while supporting India’s efforts to expand clean electricity generation.
Beyond energy, the two leaders also discussed broader economic cooperation and growing trade ties. Albanese praised Modi’s role in deepening relations between India and Australia over recent years.
The visit also reflects the growing importance of the Indian community in Australia. Recent population figures show that people born in India now represent the country’s largest overseas-born community, highlighting the rapid growth of the Indian diaspora.
Modi is expected to attend a large community gathering in Melbourne before continuing his regional visit with a trip to New Zealand.
While the visit has attracted strong support from many members of the Indian community, some groups have also planned demonstrations to express their views on immigration and other political issues.
