Describing India and Australia as two “vibrant democracies”, “multicultural societies”, and two “significant ocean powers”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday told his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese that they will together strengthen peace, stability, freedom of navigation, and a rules-based order across the Indo-Pacific region.The strengthening of the geopolitical alliance occurs at a time when China’s assertive behaviour in the region, along with the ongoing conflict in West Asia between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, has affected maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz over the past four-and-a-half months.Modi, who is in Melbourne for the third annual India-Australia Summit, said that they have now decided to “fast-track work on the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which will be balanced, ambitious, and mutually beneficial for both nations”.“We will also accelerate progress on the Bilateral Investment Treaty,” he said after the bilateral talks.Following the bilateral talks, the two sides signed a comprehensive joint statement alongside landmark declarations covering defence, energy security, critical minerals, and digital technologies.The joint statement noted tangible benefits already reaching businesses and consumers under the existing India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), while emphasising the need to dismantle non-tariff barriers further and coordinate institutional financing to drive private-sector investment.In a major breakthrough for India’s clean energy transition, the two nations signed a nuclear energy agreement. The pact effectively secures a stable corridor for uranium supplies from Australia to India, lending fresh momentum to New Delhi’s carbon-reduction objectives.Story continues below this adAlso, to support India’s domestic renewable energy push, a joint ‘Rooftop Solar Training Academy’ will be established in Gujarat to build technical capacity among women and youth under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana.Defence innovation and Indo-Pacific roadmapOn defence and security ties, Modi said, “The Indo-Pacific is not merely a confluence of two oceans; it is also a symbol of the shared aspirations of like-minded democracies like India and Australia. Today, we have issued an important Joint Declaration to enhance cooperation in defence and security. Through the India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor, we will work on connecting defence startups and industries.”“Our Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap will lend new strength to our shared efforts in the Indo-Pacific. We will also move forward together in shipbuilding, ship repair, and maintenance,” he said.Reaffirming their commitment to a rules-based order, the joint statement noted that both prime ministers “strongly opposed any destabilising or unilateral action to change the status quo and undermine regional peace and stability,” and explicitly emphasised adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).Story continues below this adAddressing international crises, PM Modi reiterated India’s stance against cross-border terrorism and called for diplomatic resolutions to global conflicts.“India and Australia believe that terrorism is a serious challenge not just for any single country, but for humanity as a whole. Therefore, our fight against terrorism is shared, our resolve is unwavering, and our cooperation is continuously strengthening,” he said.On the conflicts around the world, he said, “We also believe that the tensions and conflicts prevailing in various parts of the world can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.”Also Read | Why India and Australia are deepening Indo-Pacific security ties: China’s expanding footprintCritical minerals and tech supply chainsThe two leaders launched the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS). The partnership targets supply chain diversification, cybersecurity, digital resilience, and joint semiconductor research.Story continues below this ad“Our cooperation in critical minerals is vital for our strategic security and clean energy transition,” said PM Modi.A separate trilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed under the Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) umbrella, cementing a trusted technological alliance between the three Commonwealth nations.Australian Universities open in IndiaHighlighting the deep cultural footprint of the Indian diaspora in Australia, the leaders welcomed significant advancements in educational ties. The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India issued a formal Letter of Intent (LoI) to Flinders University to establish its foreign branch campus in Bengaluru. Simultaneously, a Letter of Approval (LoA) was granted to Victoria University to operationalise its new campus in Gurgaon.Furthering vocational training, the Western Australian Government signed an agreement with New Delhi to set up a National Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Mining at the National Skill Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.Story continues below this adThe ‘cricket’ analogy of diplomacyConcluding the summit, PM Modi turned to the two nations’ shared sporting passion to describe the evolving relationship.Borrowing from cricket terminology, he said, “Cricket serves as a diplomatic language for the relationship between India and Australia. That is why our meetings often feel like a cricket match: The agenda—focused like a one-day match, decisions—swift like a T20 game, and the partnership—long-lasting and deep, like a Test match.”In this context, he said that in the coming years, major sporting events like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games will be hosted in both countries. “This will not only boost our cooperation in sports but also create numerous opportunities for investment in sports infrastructure,” he said.“The spirit of today’s discussion has been clear: the partnership between India and Australia is not just for the present, but for the future as well. We will continue to move forward together based on our shared vision,” Modi said.Story continues below this adModi is in Australia as part of a three-nation trip. He has completed his visit to Indonesia and will head to New Zealand.