Australia and India Finalize Uranium Deal Amid Modi's Visit

Anthony Albanese and Narendra Modi have announced a major uranium deal, ahead of the first major rally for the Indian prime minster during his three-day Australia visit.

Saying it could end decades of delays to regular shipments of the nuclear fuel, the Australian prime minister said the agreement would enable uranium exports to flow to India for “peaceful purposes”.

Australia had previously struck a deal with India to sell uranium to the country in 2014, but regular shipments have not occurred due to concerns it could be used for weapons.

Speaking alongside Albanese on Thursday, Modi hailed the new agreement as being vital to help expand his country’s nuclear energy sector. He stressed to the importance of the bilateral relationship to “bring peace, stability, freedom of navigation and a rules-based order” across the Indo-Pacific region.

The Indian prime minister will on Thursday address an estimated 30,000 members of the Indian-Australian community, in what is expected to be a loud rally at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.

While few national leaders can lay claim to drawing a crowd of tens of thousands during an international diplomatic visit, Modi is an exception.

Members of Australia’s Indian diaspora have gathered in large numbers in Melbourne for a glimpse of the leader of the world’s most populous nation.

Modi was one of three types of people who were “very popular” in his homeland, said the Canberra India Council’s chair, Deepak-Raj Gupta.

“Politicians, Bollywood stars and cricket players,’’ he said.

“It doesn’t really matter who you are if you fall into one of those.”

Gupta has travelled to Melbourne with his wife and a contingent of friends to attend as many Modi-related events as possible.

But Modi is also one of the world’s most polarising political leaders.

Human rights groups, such as Amnesty International, have condemned him for declines in India’s living standards, amid allegations that journalists and academics have been targeted through anti-terror legislation. It’s also alleged that marginal religious groups, including Muslims and Christians, have also been targeted by such laws.

Nevertheless, Modi has been able to unite the Indian diaspora in a way no one else could, according to the Australian Multicultural Action Network’s president, Ravi Krishnamurthy.

“We look for connection [between Australia and India]. There is pride in adding to Australia’s multicultural community,” he said.

Ahead of Modi’s arrival in Melbourne, the Australian Federal Police formally warned a young person who had made a death threat towards the prime minister.

A far-right influencer also reportedly gatecrashed the Melbourne hotel where the Indian prime minister is staying, before being thrown out by police.

Albanese hails strong relationship

Albanese said Australia’s relationship with India had “never been stronger.”

“We share a focus on deepening and diversifying the relationship between our countries so we can continue to grow from strength to strength,” he said.

He said the uranium arrangement would provide an additional market for Australia’s resource sector. He also pointed to a joint declaration on defence and security cooperation to deepen our practical partnership as signs of the deepening ties between the two countries.

“We undertake to consult on defence related developments in the Indo Pacific that affect our shared interests,” he said.

Albanese said for all the “broad affection between our peoples” the relationship between the countries was “underdone, under-explored and under-examined”.

“In the last decade or so, that has certainly changed for the better,” the prime minister said at a business event.

“Prime minister Modi, your leadership and your personal engagement with Australia has been absolutely central to this change.”