MELBOURNE: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Australia for talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese focused on defense cooperation, critical minerals, and uranium security.

The two leaders are expected to discuss securing a reliable uranium supply for India, which plans to expand its nuclear energy capacity. Australia holds an estimated 28 percent of the world’s uranium resources and is also a major source of lithium, a key mineral for electric vehicle batteries.

Modi is also scheduled to attend a community rally in Melbourne on Thursday, where more than 20,000 people are expected to participate.

India and Australia, along with the United States and Japan, are members of the Quad, with both New Delhi and Canberra seeking closer security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.