Australia and India finalized a long-delayed administrative arrangement on Thursday to permit Australian uranium exports to New Delhi, breaking a decade-long regulatory stalemate.
The agreement permits commercial shipments under strict International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards to guarantee that New Delhi uses the nuclear fuel exclusively for civilian power generation.
Although Australia holds roughly 28 percent of known global uranium deposits, domestic policy forces the government to restrict supply to nations adhering to rigorous bilateral protocols.
India’s status as a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) historically isolated the country from global nuclear trade, up until the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group granted an exemption in 2008 following a separate safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
“Australia’s natural resources are vital for other countries’ energy security and stability, and we look forward to becoming a reliable, trusted supplier of uranium to India,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Melbourne.
The Australian government noted that the arrangement facilitates exports to increase India’s share of non-fossil fuel power capacity while providing an additional market for the domestic resources sector.
“Today, we have signed an important agreement in the field of nuclear energy. This will open the way for uranium supplies from Australia to India and give new impetus to our clean energy objectives,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi added in a media statement.
Activating the supply pipeline diversifies Australia’s resources trade away from its primary, volatile market in China. Two-way trade in goods and services between India and Australia hit US$37.7 billion during the 2024-2025 financial year, positioning India as Australia’s fifth-largest trading partner.
Beyond the nuclear sector, the bilateral summit produced agreements to strengthen defense cooperation and construct a temporary space tracking terminal on Australia’s Cocos Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean.
Furthermore, the agreement marks the second multi-billion-dollar nuclear fuel pipeline New Delhi has secured this year to counter its sparse indigenous uranium reserves.
In March, Canada’s Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ) concluded a US$1.9 billion contract to supply nearly 22 million pounds of uranium ore concentrate to India’s Department of Atomic Energy between 2027 and 2035.
That long-term agreement resolved a two-year bilateral freeze that began in September 2023, when former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian state involvement in the killing of a Canadian Sikh activist.
The current administration has since prioritized economic re-engagement, matching New Delhi’s efforts to secure raw materials which include a critical minerals memorandum of understanding with Brazil targeting rare earths earlier this year.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.