PM Modi, Albanese back rules-based Indo-Pacific
Melbourne, July 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Thursday reaffirmed India and Australia’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism, strengthening security cooperation, and promoting a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific, following the third Australia-India Annual Summit in Melbourne.
Addressing a joint press conference after the summit, PM Modi said terrorism poses a serious challenge to all humanity and stressed that the two countries share a common resolve to counter the threat.
“India and Australia believe that terrorism poses a serious challenge not just to any one country, but to all of humanity. Therefore, our fight against terrorism is shared, our resolve unwavering, and our cooperation in this area is continuously strengthening,” he said.
The two leaders also underlined that tensions and conflicts across the world should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, while committing to strengthen peace, stability, freedom of navigation and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
A joint statement issued after the summit reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to an open, stable and rules-based Indo-Pacific and opposed any unilateral or destabilising actions aimed at altering the status quo. The leaders emphasised adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight.
PM Modi announced that India and Australia had signed a joint declaration to deepen security cooperation.
“The Indo-Pacific is not just a meeting point of two oceans, but it also represents the shared aspirations of like-minded democracies like India and Australia,” he said.
He announced the launch of the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS), describing critical minerals as vital for strategic security and the clean energy transition. The two sides also agreed to work together on the Critical Minerals Corridor.
The Prime Minister said the India-Australia Defence Innovation Corridor would connect defence start-ups and industries, while the Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap would strengthen joint efforts in the Indo-Pacific. The two countries will also expand cooperation in shipbuilding, repair and maintenance.
According to the joint statement, the leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation through regional and multilateral institutions and welcomed the outcomes of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in New Delhi in May.
They also pledged to enhance cooperation in the Indian Ocean through the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), welcomed joint maritime safety initiatives, and reaffirmed support for the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, the Australia-India-Indonesia trilateral mechanism and the Pacific Islands Forum.
On counter-terrorism, both leaders condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms and called for sustained global action against UN-designated terrorists, terror groups, their proxies, sponsors and financiers. They also reiterated their condemnation of the terrorist attacks in Bondi Beach, Australia, and Pahalgam, India.
The two sides agreed to strengthen information-sharing on terrorist threats and explore deeper cooperation to counter radicalisation, online extremism, terrorist financing, misuse of emerging technologies, threats to critical infrastructure and maritime security.
Highlighting the importance of people-to-people ties, PM Modi said the Indian diaspora continues to make significant contributions to Australia’s economic and social development.
He noted that Australia remains a preferred destination for Indian students and said the opening of Australian university campuses in India marks a new chapter in bilateral educational cooperation. The two countries, he added, will continue to promote greater exchanges of students, professionals and tourists.
