Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday evening as part of his three-nation diplomatic tour, with India and Australia expected to deepen cooperation in civil nuclear energy, defence and maritime security during high-level talks. A key outcome of the visit is likely to be the signing of an agreement on the commercial supply of uranium, aimed at supporting India's expanding nuclear power programme and strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Modi reached Australia after concluding the Indonesia leg of his tour and will travel to New Zealand next. Shortly after his arrival, the Prime Minister said in a social media post that he looked forward to discussions with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, expressing confidence that the visit would inject fresh momentum into bilateral ties. The two leaders are scheduled to hold comprehensive talks on Thursday, covering a wide range of strategic, economic and regional issues.

According to people familiar with the matter, India and Australia are expected to finalise an agreement for the commercial supply of uranium, building on the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement signed in 2014. The proposed arrangement is intended to provide a more structured framework for uranium exports to India, helping New Delhi meet its long-term clean energy and nuclear power generation goals. Australia possesses the world's largest known uranium reserves, accounting for roughly one-third of global reserves, but has so far made only one uranium shipment to India, in 2017.

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Apart from nuclear cooperation, defence and maritime security are expected to feature prominently in the discussions. Both countries have steadily expanded their strategic partnership in recent years through joint military exercises, enhanced naval cooperation and greater collaboration under the Quad grouping, which also includes the United States and Japan. Officials are expected to announce new initiatives aimed at improving defence coordination, maritime domain awareness, information sharing and regional security in the Indo-Pacific.

The visit comes at a time when India and Australia are seeking to diversify trade, strengthen resilient supply chains and promote cooperation in critical minerals, emerging technologies and clean energy. Bilateral ties have grown significantly over the past decade, with both nations elevating their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and implementing the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), which has boosted two-way trade and investment.

Modi's Australia visit is expected to further reinforce the growing convergence between New Delhi and Canberra on regional and global issues. The anticipated uranium supply agreement would mark a significant milestone in bilateral civil nuclear cooperation, while expanded defence and maritime initiatives are likely to underscore the two countries' shared commitment to ensuring a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. As the two leaders meet in Melbourne, the outcomes are expected to lay the foundation for deeper strategic engagement across energy, security and economic sectors in the years ahead.

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