India, Australia launch critical minerals corridor alongside uranium deal

India and Australia agreed to work together on a critical minerals corridor as part of a broader package of agreements signed during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Australia, alongside a civil nuclear agreement enabling uranium supplies from Australia to India.

Modi announced the launch of the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains, aimed at deepening collaboration on critical minerals between the two countries.

On the nuclear front, Modi said the agreement would “open the way for uranium supplies from Australia to India and give new impetus to our clean energy objectives,” while Albanese said it would help “increase the share of non-fossil fuel power capacity, providing an additional market for the Australian resources sector.”

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the nuclear arrangement is expected to diversify India’s energy sources and support its clean energy goals under the SHANTI Act, which aims to expand nuclear power capacity while ensuring safe and responsible use of atomic energy.

The two leaders also unveiled the India-Australia Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap and a joint declaration on defence and security cooperation, including plans to connect defence startups through the India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor.