India, Australia sign civil nuclear pact to open uranium supply route

India and Australia signed a civil nuclear agreement that will pave the way for commercial uranium supplies from Australia to India, alongside a series of agreements covering defence, maritime security, critical minerals and emerging technologies, following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Australia.

“Today, we have signed an important agreement in the field of nuclear energy. This will open the way for uranium supplies from Australia to India and give new impetus to our clean energy objectives,” Modi said. The administrative arrangement under the India-Australia Civil Nuclear Agreement will facilitate commercial supply of Australian uranium for India’s civilian nuclear power programme.

Albanese said 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.”

According to outcome details shared by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the agreement is expected to diversify India’s energy sources and support its clean energy goals in line with the SHANTI Act, which aims to expand India’s nuclear power capacity while ensuring safe and responsible use of atomic energy.

Beyond the nuclear deal, the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation in critical minerals, with Modi announcing the launch of the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains, alongside plans for a critical minerals corridor.