This article covers the political relationship between India and Australia: its historical origins, the establishment of diplomatic ties, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the leaders' and ministerial mechanisms, recent visits, and cooperation in regional and multilateral groupings. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026, which states its position as of 30 June 2026.

Early ties and the establishment of relations

The brief traces the historical ties between India and Australia to the period immediately following European settlement in Australia from 1788. All trade to and from the penal colony of New South Wales was controlled by the British East India Company through Kolkata.

India and Australia established diplomatic relations in the pre-Independence period, with the establishment of the India Trade Office in Sydney in 1941. Australia's first High Commissioner to India was appointed in 1944, and India's first High Commissioner to Australia assumed charge in 1945.

Basis of the relationship

According to the MEA brief of June 2026, the relationship is underpinned by shared values of pluralistic, Westminster-style democracies, Commonwealth traditions, expanding economic engagement and increasing high-level interaction. The brief states that in recent years the relationship "has charted a whole new trajectory of transformational growth".

The relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) on 4 June 2020, during the first India-Australia Virtual Summit. The brief states that the partnership underscores a shared commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, grounded in democratic values, the rule of law and mutual respect.

Leaders' and ministerial mechanisms

The brief lists several institutional mechanisms at leaders' and ministerial level:

  • Annual Summit. A leadership-level mechanism established to strengthen the CSP. The first Summit was held in March 2023, during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to India. The second was held on 19 November 2024 on the margins of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The third was held in Melbourne on 9 July 2026, during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Australia.
  • Foreign Minister's Framework Dialogue (FMFD). Described as the central mechanism for advancing the bilateral agenda, it is held annually, alternately in India and Australia. The most recent, the 17th FMFD, was held in New Delhi in May 2026.
  • 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue. The inaugural dialogue was held in 2021. The second, held in New Delhi on 20-21 November 2023, produced outcomes in the defence sector aimed at deepening strategic and security cooperation.
  • Annual Foreign Ministers' Cyber Framework Dialogue. The first meeting was held on 12 February 2022. A Mini-Cyber Dialogue was held in New Delhi on 9 April 2025 during the visit of Australia's Cyber Ambassador, Mr. Brendan Dowling.

Visits by heads of state

Australia's then Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, visited India from 10-14 March 2018 and represented Australia at the International Solar Alliance. He had also travelled to India on a private visit in December 2014 and called on the then President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee. The then President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, visited Australia from 21-24 November 2018.

Prime Ministerial visits and meetings

The Prime Minister of India has held several bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The Prime Minister visited Australia in May 2023, and Prime Minister Albanese visited India in March and September 2023. The latest bilateral meeting, as of the brief, was held on 22 November 2025 in South Africa, on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit. The Prime Minister then visited Australia from 8 to 10 July 2026 for the Third Annual Summit in Melbourne. The two leaders have also congratulated each other on their respective election victories, held frequent telephone conversations and exchanged letters.

Earlier, the brief records two-way Prime Ministerial visits in 2014, which it says "built significant momentum" in the relationship. India hosted the then Australian Prime Minister in 2017, and the Prime Minister held two Virtual Leaders' Summits with the then Australian Prime Minister in 2020 and 2022.

Foreign Ministers

The External Affairs Minister (EAM) has held multiple bilateral meetings with Australia's Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong, including five FMFDs. The EAM visited Australia in February and October 2022, February 2023, and February and November 2024. Senator Wong visited India in February-March and November 2023 and in November 2025. The latest meeting recorded in the brief took place in New Delhi in May 2026, for the 17th FMFD.

Quad and trilateral mechanisms

India and Australia also meet in several plurilateral formats:

  • Quad. The Sixth Quad Leaders' Summit was held in Wilmington, USA on 21 September 2024. The latest Quad Foreign Ministerial meeting was held in India on 26 May 2026.
  • India-France-Australia. A Trilateral Ministerial Meeting was held in Johannesburg in February 2025, on the margins of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting.
  • India-Indonesia-Australia. The second Trilateral Ministerial Meeting was held on 12 July 2023 in Jakarta, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) 2023 and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting 2023. A trilateral focal points meeting at Joint Secretary level was held in July 2024.
  • Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership. This trilateral technology and innovation partnership was launched on 22 November 2025, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. The text of an MoU under the partnership, to advance cooperation in emerging technologies and innovation, was finalised during the visit of the Canadian Prime Minister to India in March 2026.

Regional and multilateral cooperation

The brief states that India and Australia have significantly expanded their multilateral and trilateral cooperation in recent years through fora such as the Quad, G20, East Asia Summit and Indo-Pacific initiatives. In December 2017 the Australian government formally ratified, and became a member of, the International Solar Alliance. In September 2019 Australia joined CDRI as a founding member.

Australia supports India's candidature in an expanded UN Security Council. Both countries are members of the Commonwealth, IORA, the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development, and both have participated in the East Asia Summits. Australia became an Observer in SAARC in 2008.