PM Modi, Australian Opposition Leader Angus Taylor Reaffirm Bipartisan Commitment to Stronger India-Australia Ties

Melbourne, July 2026 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Australian Opposition Leader Angus Taylor during his three-day visit to Australia, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting reflected the broad bipartisan support in Australia for expanding cooperation with India across strategic, economic and people-to-people sectors.

The discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in areas of mutual interest and building on the steady momentum that has transformed India-Australia relations into one of the region’s most significant strategic partnerships. Both leaders acknowledged the importance of maintaining close engagement to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, defence, technology, education and innovation.

The Ministry of External Affairs described the interaction as productive and highlighted the shared commitment of both countries to elevating bilateral ties.

Sharing details of the meeting on social media platform X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Prime Minister Modi held fruitful discussions with Angus Taylor on strengthening the growing India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He noted that the warm and cordial interaction demonstrated the strong bipartisan consensus within Australia in favour of expanding relations with India.

The meeting with the Opposition Leader formed an important part of Prime Minister Modi’s packed diplomatic schedule in Australia, where he has been engaging with political leaders, business executives and members of the Indian diaspora to further advance bilateral cooperation.

Since arriving in Australia, Prime Minister Modi has held wide-ranging bilateral talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, focusing on strengthening collaboration in trade, defence, critical minerals, clean energy, technology and regional security. He also met Governor-General Sam Mostyn and Victoria Governor Margaret Gardner AC during his visit.

In addition to his political engagements, the Prime Minister participated in the Australia-India CEO Forum, where business leaders from both countries discussed opportunities to expand investments, boost economic partnerships and strengthen supply chain resilience. He also addressed a large gathering of the Indian community at a special reception in Melbourne, highlighting the diaspora’s significant contribution to the growing relationship between the two nations.

Prime Minister Modi also met former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, with whom he discussed the remarkable progress in India-Australia ties over the past decade.

A major highlight of the visit is expected to be Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where he will be joined by Prime Minister Albanese to unveil a comprehensive roadmap for sports cooperation between India and Australia.

Briefing the media earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the two Prime Ministers would jointly announce the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap at the historic venue, underscoring the growing importance of sports as a pillar of bilateral engagement.

According to Misri, sports has emerged as a promising area for cooperation, particularly with India preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Australia set to stage the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. He said the roadmap would create fresh opportunities for collaboration in sports infrastructure, athlete development, coaching, sports science and high-performance training.

Prime Minister Modi’s Australia visit is being viewed as another significant milestone in the rapidly expanding partnership between the two countries. The series of high-level meetings, business engagements and community interactions reflects the shared commitment of New Delhi and Canberra to deepen cooperation across strategic, economic, technological and cultural sectors, while reinforcing the strong bipartisan support that continues to underpin the India-Australia relationship.