This article covers India's cooperation with Australia in defence, energy and mining, science and technology, space, health, and counter-terrorism and security. The MEA brief does not describe development assistance, lines of credit or ITEC training for Australia, so the article concentrates on the sectoral cooperation it records. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026.
Defence
According to the MEA brief of June 2026, the India-Australia defence partnership "has steadily strengthened in the recent past". India's Defence Minister (Raksha Mantri) visited Australia from 9-11 October 2025, the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Australia in 12 years. The brief records that the visit produced the signing of agreements and MoUs, the institution of an annual Defence Ministers Dialogue, and the first India-Australia Defence Industry Roundtable, chaired by the Raksha Mantri in Sydney on 10 October 2025. The second Defence Ministerial Dialogue was held in India on 01 June 2026.
At official level, defence cooperation runs through several mechanisms:
- 2+2 Foreign and Defence Secretaries' Dialogue. The first was held in New Delhi on 12 December 2017, and the fourth in New Delhi on 14 October 2024.
- Joint Working Group on Research, Industry and Materiel Cooperation. The fourth meeting between the Ministry of Defence, India and the Department of Defence, Australia was held in Australia on 18 August 2025.
- Defence Policy Talks. Held at the level of Additional or Special Secretary in the Ministry of Defence. The 10th round was held in New Delhi on 08 May 2026.
- India-Australia Maritime Dialogue. The 6th Maritime Dialogue was held in Canberra on 13 August 2024, with the Indian side led by JS (DISA).
- Staff Talks. Naval Talks were held in New Delhi on 14 May 2024, the 12th Army-to-Army Staff Talks on 29-31 October 2025, and the 12th India Australia Air Staff Talks in Australia from 29 April to 01 May 2026.
The General Rawat India-Australia Young Defence Officers' Exchange Programme was announced at the Leaders' virtual meeting in March 2022. In its first iteration, in India in March 2023, 15 Australian Defence Force officers joined 15 Indian Defence Force personnel. Australia hosted the second iteration in July 2024, and the 3rd iteration was held in India from 14-26 October 2025.
Energy and mining
The India-Australia Energy Dialogue, co-chaired by the Energy Ministers, is the overarching platform for energy and mining cooperation. As of the brief, 5 iterations have been held, the latest in New Delhi on 16 October 2025. Five Joint Working Groups sit under the Dialogue, and each met in 2025 or 2026:
- Power: 2nd meeting, virtual, 16 September 2025
- New and Renewable Energy: 2nd meeting, virtual, 15 September 2025
- Coal and Mines: 2nd meeting, virtual, 16 September 2025
- Oil and Gas: 2nd meeting, virtual, 18 September 2025
- Critical Minerals: 5th meeting, virtual, 29 January 2026, to review cooperation across the critical minerals value chain
A separate JWG on Energy and Minerals was established in 1999 to expand the relationship in the energy and resources sector.
The Renewable Energy Partnership (REP) was launched on 19 November 2024 at the 2nd India-Australia Annual Summit. During Prime Minister Albanese's visit to India on 8-11 March 2023, the two Prime Ministers agreed to establish an Australia-India Solar Taskforce to advise on accelerating solar PV deployment and enhancing supply chains, and its Terms of Reference were later signed. Its flagship initiative, the Rooftop Solar Academy hosted by Pandit Deendayal Energy University in Gujarat, was launched to train 2,000 women and youth as solar technicians.
The Terms of Reference for the Australia-India Green Hydrogen Taskforce were exchanged during the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Australia on 24 May 2023. The Taskforce facilitates cooperation in green hydrogen production, technology development and commercialisation. Both sides accepted its report on 16 October 2025, during the 5th Energy Dialogue.
Civil nuclear cooperation and climate
A Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was signed in September 2014, followed by an Administrative Arrangement in November 2015 for cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The Australian Parliament passed the Civil Nuclear Transfer to India Bill 2016.
On climate change, a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) between DCCEEW and MoEF&CC was held in virtual format on 3 September 2025.
Science and technology
Science and technology cooperation is formally implemented under the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF), in place since 2005 and based on the principles of reciprocity, co-funding and co-creation. The brief describes the AISRF as Australia's biggest investment in research collaboration with any single nation. As of the brief, 15 rounds of AISRF Collaborative Research Project grants have been completed, and about $ 1 million in funding has been announced for the 16th round.
Since its establishment in 2006, the Indo-Australia Biotechnology Fund (IABF) has supported collaborative research across jointly agreed priority areas. So far 15 calls have been announced, supporting more than 56 joint projects in the life sciences. The Indo-Australia Joint S&T Committee is the apex body for science and technology cooperation; its latest meeting, together with the Joint Biotechnology Committee, was held from 23-30 November 2024.
The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) launched the India-Australia Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator virtually on 22 November 2023. It supports startups and SMEs in both countries working on circular economy technologies. In Round 1, 14 startups were selected, 7 each from India and Australia, and the cohort for Round 2 has been announced.
Space
In January 2022, ISRO and the Australian Space Agency (ASA) signed an Implementing Arrangement to establish a Temporary Tracking Terminal in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands to support the Gaganyaan mission. A licence agreement for the use of Site Q5 land there is under discussion, and at the 17th FMFD in May 2026 both Ministers noted progress on the use of the site for Gaganyaan tracking.
An Implementing Arrangement on cooperation in crew and crew module recovery for the Gaganyaan Mission was signed on 20 November 2024. As of the brief, the two sides are discussing the positioning of Indian assets during the Gaganyaan launch.
Health
An MoU on Health Cooperation was signed on 10 April 2017, and the first meeting of the Joint Working Group under it was held in New Delhi on 9 November 2017. The two Health Ministers held a virtual meeting on 14 July 2020 on bilateral health cooperation, including management of Covid 19. The 2nd JWG on Health Cooperation was held virtually on 24 April 2026.
Counter-terrorism and security
The two sides have a Joint Working Group on counter-terrorism at Joint Secretary level, whose 15th meeting was held in Australia on 29-30 October 2025. The then Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, visited Melbourne on 07-08 November 2019 for the 'No Money for Terror Ministerial Conference'. The 6th Round of the India-Australia Dialogue on disarmament, non-proliferation and export control was held virtually on 30 March 2021.