Eye on Indo-Pacific: India, Australia deepen ties in nuclear, maritime & mineral sectors

MELBOURNE, July 9: India and Australia on Thursday sealed a raft of landmark pacts spanning civil nuclear energy, maritime security and critical minerals sectors, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese reinforced the vital role of the bilateral partnership in ensuring a peaceful Indo-Pacific.
The agreement on civil nuclear energy to facilitate the commercial supply of uranium from Australia to India to fuel New Delhi’s nuclear power projects came nearly 12 years after the two countries inked a historic civil nuclear cooperation pact.
In another significant decision, India and Australia decided to work expeditiously to firm up the proposed Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement as well as a bilateral investment protection framework.
A joint declaration on defence and security cooperation, a maritime security collaboration roadmap, a joint statement on energy security and a partnership for cyber, critical technologies and supply chains were among 18 pacts signed following summit talks between the two prime ministers.
The agreements sealed at the summit also included one between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Maritime Border Command (MBC) of Australia and it will provide cooperation in the fields of maritime law enforcement, domain awareness, and maritime border protection. The two sides also vowed to work closely in shipbuilding, ship repair and maintenance.
In his media statement, Modi elaborated on the outcomes in areas such as renewable energy, climate action, nuclear energy, critical minerals, technology and education. “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,” he said.
Modi said both sides will also work together on a critical minerals corridor.
The prime minister also mentioned growing engagement between the two countries in the defence domain and emphasised the importance of a free and stable Indo-Pacific.
The new initiatives to bolster defence ties came amid growing concerns over China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific. (AP)