PM Modi, Australia Governor-General Discuss Strengthening Bilateral Partnership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn in Melbourne on Thursday (July 9, 2026) to discuss the enduring bilateral relationship between India and Australia. The meeting focused on shared democratic values, strong people-to-people ties, and growing cooperation across various sectors.
Modi is in Australia on the second leg of his three-nation visit, having arrived from Indonesia on Wednesday. He held talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier, and expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of their summit, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The MEA, in a statement, said that the two leaders exchanged views on the growing depth and diversity of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and welcomed the expanding bilateral economic partnership. They expressed confidence that increasing trade, investment, education, and innovation linkages would create new opportunities and benefit the people of both countries.
Both leaders also highlighted growing sporting ties and called for closer cooperation in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games 2030, to be hosted by India, and the Olympics 2032, to be hosted by Australia.
Earlier, Modi met former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and recalled the significant progress made in bilateral relations during Morrison's tenure from August 2018 to May 2022. Modi said in a post on X that they had a great conversation on the India-Australia friendship. Morrison thanked Modi for the meeting and noted that they had elevated the relationship to its highest level, jokingly mentioning Modi's inquiry about his Indian cooking progress.
Modi also met Victoria Governor Margaret Gardner at the Government House in Victoria, where he received a ceremonial welcome alongside Albanese. The MEA said this reaffirmed the enduring strength of the partnership. Modi and Gardner discussed educational linkages, including academic collaborations, research partnerships, and student mobility, emphasizing that vibrant people-to-people ties are a key pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
