India, Australia and Canada are set to strengthen cooperation in expertise and innovation, with the three international locations signing the Australia–Canada–India Know-how and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), on Thursday.The settlement is ready to spice up collaboration in crucial and rising applied sciences whereas complementing current bilateral initiatives between the three international locations. The brand new tech triangle was introduced as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled a collection of agreements to deepen their Complete Strategic Partnership.The three nations had agreed to enter into the trilateral expertise and innovation partnership final November. The ACITI Partnership will leverage the strengths of all three international locations, with a deal with inexperienced vitality innovation, resilient provide chains and significant minerals.The initiative will help efforts in the direction of attaining web zero targets and promote better diversification of provide chains to construct a safe, sustainable and resilient future. It’ll additionally discover the event and wider adoption of synthetic intelligence to enhance the lives of residents.Officers from the three international locations met within the first quarter of 2026 to take the partnership ahead.
Uranium on tables
On the vitality entrance, the 2 leaders welcomed the finalisation and signing of the Administrative Association below the Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Settlement, paving the best way for long-term Australian uranium exports to India for solely peaceable functions below Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company (IAEA) safeguards.India and Australia have finalised the preparations required to allow the export of Australian uranium to India, with PM Modi saying the settlement would help India’s clear vitality targets and additional strengthen bilateral cooperation within the vitality sector.Talking at a joint press meet with Albanese after the Annual Leaders’ Summit, PM Modi stated that the 2 international locations had reached an essential settlement within the area of nuclear vitality.“At present, now we have reached an essential settlement within the area of nuclear vitality. It will open the trail for uranium provide from Australia to India and provides new energy to our clear vitality targets,” PM Modi stated.The event got here as each international locations issued a Joint Assertion on Vitality Safety, reaffirming their dedication to enhancing cooperation in vitality commerce, provide chain resilience and the transition in the direction of cleaner vitality sources.Underneath the Australia-India Nuclear Cooperation Settlement (2015), the uranium exports might be used just for peaceable functions and can stay topic to IAEA safeguards. Australia additionally reiterated its help for India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group.Reaffirming their dedication to additional strengthen the India–Australia Complete Strategic Partnership, the 2 leaders stated they might increase cooperation to deal with rising challenges in a quickly evolving world atmosphere and discover new areas of collaboration for peace, prosperity and stability within the area.Securing crucial minerals stays a key precedence as international locations look to construct resilient provide chains amid rising dependence on the sector, presently dominated by China.
Commerce, defence and area ties
Defence and safety emerged as a key focus of the summit, with India and Australia asserting a Joint Declaration on Defence and Safety Cooperation to deepen their bilateral defence partnership.The nations additionally agreed to determine an Annual Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, increase defence workouts, strengthen interoperability and improve cooperation in defence analysis, skilled navy schooling and trade. In addition they adopted the India-Australia Maritime Safety Collaboration Roadmap and welcomed an MoU between Australia’s Maritime Border Command and the Indian Coast Guard to help maritime safety.On the financial entrance, PM Modi and Albanese additionally welcomed development in bilateral commerce below the India-Australia Financial Cooperation and Commerce Settlement (ECTA) and reaffirmed their dedication to concluding the Complete Financial Cooperation Settlement (CECA).The leaders highlighted alternatives in manufacturing, expertise and funding, whereas noting the synergies between India’s “Make in India” initiative and Australia’s “Future Made in Australia” programme. In addition they reiterated cooperation in crucial minerals to help funding, safe provide chains and develop processing capabilities.Vitality safety and local weather cooperation had been additionally mentioned, with each leaders reaffirming their dedication to dependable and sustainable vitality provides and welcoming the Joint Assertion on Vitality Safety. In area cooperation, the leaders welcomed Australia’s help for India’s Gaganyaan Human Area Flight Programme, together with a brief area monitoring terminal on Cocos Keeling Islands, and expressed hope for deeper collaboration between ISRO and the Australian Area Company.