Modi Begins Australia Visit Amid Mixed Reactions in Melbourne

WHO:

Bloomberg - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

ABC News - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Indian diaspora in Australia.

WHAT:

Bloomberg - Modi and Albanese pledged to deepen economic and defense ties during talks.

ABC News - The two leaders are expected to sign agreements on defense and energy.

ABC News - Australia and India agreed to hold increasingly complex defense exercises and expand aircraft deployments.

ABC News - The nations finalized administrative arrangements allowing Australia to export uranium to India for peaceful purposes.

ABC News - Modi stated that this agreement would help India meet a target of 100 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by 2047.

ABC News - The leaders announced plans to develop "a critical minerals corridor" and deepen cooperation on critical minerals.

WHERE:

Bloomberg - Melbourne, Australia.

ABC News - Government House in Melbourne, Docklands Stadium in Melbourne.

WHEN:

ABC News - The leaders are expected to sign agreements during the two-day visit.

ABC News - The event "Melbourne Meets Modi" is anticipated to take place with over 20,000 attendees.

WHY:

ABC News - Albanese described India as a "top-tier security partner" for Australia.

ABC News - The joint declaration expressed shared concerns about "geostrategic uncertainty, and threats to regional peace and stability."

HOW:

ABC News - The leaders discussed increasing military cooperation and coordination in the Indo-Pacific region.

ABC News - Modi highlighted the potential for Australia's technology, capital, and resources to accelerate India's energy transition.

(UPDATED July 9, 2026 08:10 UTC)

In Melbourne, Australia, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Albanese have pledged to deepen economic and defense ties, with plans to sign agreements on defense and energy during their two-day visit. The leaders announced that Australia will export uranium to India for peaceful purposes, which Modi stated will help India achieve its goal of 100 gigawatts of nuclear energy capacity by 2047. Additionally, they are set to develop a critical minerals corridor and enhance military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, reflecting Albania's view of India as a top-tier security partner.