Addressing a joint press conference after the third India-Australia Annual Summit in Melbourne, Albanese said both nations had taken significant steps to deepen cooperation across multiple strategic sectors. He announced new landmark agreements aimed at expanding collaboration in defence and security, education, science and technology, energy security, and critical minerals, reinforcing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Emphasising the importance of the newly announced defence cooperation framework, Albanese said Australia values India as a top-tier security partner and that the declaration reflects the shared commitment of both countries to maintaining a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
He stated that Australia and India would strengthen strategic coordination, increase the complexity of joint defence exercises, and enhance interoperability between their armed forces. The two countries also agreed to consult on defence-related developments across the Indo-Pacific that affect their shared interests. In addition, both sides endorsed a Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and approved the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS).
Calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "a true friend of Australia," Albanese described it as a great honour to host the Indian leader for the annual summit. He said that six years after establishing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, bilateral relations had become more consequential than ever and that the partnership had never been stronger. According to Albanese, both countries remain committed to deepening and diversifying their relationship while continuing to build on existing cooperation across every major sector.
In a major development for India's human spaceflight programme, Albanese announced that Australia would establish a temporary space tracking terminal on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to support the Gaganyaan mission. He said the facility would strengthen bilateral cooperation in space and technology while supporting India's landmark human spaceflight programme.
The announcement comes as the Indian Space Research Organisation continues preparations for the mission. Earlier this week, the organisation successfully completed the fifth Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT-05), validating the structural integrity and reliability of the crew module's main parachute system for the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission.
On energy cooperation, Albanese said both countries had agreed to strengthen energy security amid growing geopolitical uncertainties. He said the Joint Statement on Energy Security recognises the importance of resilient supply chains while accelerating the energy transition through greater adoption of renewable energy resources and increased electrification of energy systems.
He noted that although Australia and India have long operated with interconnected supply chains, their policy approaches had remained disconnected, adding that the new initiative would bridge that gap.
Albanese also confirmed the signing of the administrative arrangement required to operationalise uranium exports from Australia to India under the 2015 Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. He said the arrangement would facilitate Australian uranium exports for peaceful purposes, helping India increase the share of non-fossil fuel power generation while creating an additional market for Australia's resources sector.
Earlier in the day, Albanese addressed thousands of members of the Indian diaspora at a community event in Melbourne, where he praised the community for serving as a vital bridge between the two nations.
Welcoming Prime Minister Modi, Albanese described him as a true friend of Australia and a close personal friend. He said the energy and enthusiasm displayed by the gathering reflected the strength of the Australia-India partnership and demonstrated the positivity and promise shared by both nations and their people.
Recalling Prime Minister Modi's visit to Australia in 2023, Albanese remembered travelling in a ceremonial chariot with the Indian leader around Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, describing it as an unforgettable experience. He said the warmth and affection he witnessed between the people of both countries during that visit remained equally visible among the audience gathered in Melbourne.
Reflecting on his first visit to India as a backpacker in 1991, Albanese said travelling across the country by train gave him a deeper understanding of India's diversity. He added that the experience taught him a simple lesson, encouraging fellow Australians to travel by train if they wished to truly understand India, while recalling the warmth and hospitality he received throughout his journey.
Describing India and Australia as two great democracies and two great multicultural societies, Albanese highlighted the contribution of more than one million Australians of Indian origin to the country's economic and social development.
He praised the generosity of the Indian-Australian community, stating that during times of national difficulty and crisis they are consistently among the first to volunteer assistance and support fellow community members. He added that their contribution extends far beyond community service through strengthening critical industries such as healthcare and information technology, expanding Australia's small business sector, and enriching the country's education system through thousands of Indian students who choose Australia as their academic destination, particularly in the state of Victoria.
Albanese also highlighted the growing education partnership between the two countries, noting that Victoria-based Deakin University became the first foreign university to establish a campus in India, paving the way for deeper academic collaboration and educational cooperation.
Concluding his address, the Australian Prime Minister said Australia has become a stronger nation because of its Indian community. He described the community as the living bridge connecting Australia and India, recognising its lasting cultural, economic, and social contributions.
Prime Minister Modi's three-day visit to Australia concluded with a series of landmark outcomes, including the Joint Declaration on Defence and Security Cooperation, the Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap, the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains, a Joint Statement on Energy Security, the operationalisation of uranium exports to India for peaceful purposes, expanded cooperation in critical minerals, education, skill development, research, and maritime security. The outcomes collectively mark another major milestone in strengthening the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and reinforcing cooperation across strategic, economic, technological, and people-centric sectors.
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