Australia, India seal landmark uranium export deal
Australia will start exporting uranium to India for peaceful purposes after the two nations’ leaders inked a long-awaited administrative deal on Thursday, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Australia and India finally enacted the agreement that had been stalled for years over concerns about weapons use.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi announced the breakthrough in a joint statement following talks in Melbourne.
While details on the volume and timing of shipments were not immediately disclosed, the move marks a significant step forward in bilateral energy cooperation.
Together, we’re growing our economies and backing Australian and Indian businesses.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) July 9, 2026
The bond between our people has driven so many of our business success stories.
And we’ll keep working with business leaders and universities to grow Australia's economic ties with India.… pic.twitter.com/RBvXLrcS7f
Australia holds the world’s largest known uranium reserves, yet does not operate nuclear power plants or maintain nuclear weapons, exporting all of its uranium abroad.
Over the past decade, India has doubled its nuclear power generation, though it still accounts for only about 3% of the country’s electricity mix.
A complicating factor is India’s status outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which recognizes only five nuclear weapons states: the U.S., China, Britain, France, and Russia. As a signatory to the NPT, Australia has traditionally refused to sell uranium to non-signatories. The new deal represents a carefully negotiated exception, underscoring the strategic importance of India-Australia ties.
Earlier, it was reported that India had cemented its position as the fastest growing steel producer.
