Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand last week, focusing on defence, uranium, and trade.
In Indonesia, Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto signed 16 agreements and finalized a deal for Indonesia to purchase India's BrahMos cruise missiles.
In Australia, Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese finalized a long-delayed arrangement to allow Australian uranium exports for India's civilian nuclear program.
The announcement follows a March deal worth C$2.6 billion between Saskatoon-based Cameco and India, which will see the company supply uranium ore concentrate to India over nine years. Aditi Malhotra, APF Canada's South Asia Program Manager, told Asia Watch that "while the deal may appear to increase competition for Canadian suppliers, India's plan to expand nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047 suggests demand will be large enough to support multiple exporters." India currently houses 24 nuclear reactors, with dozens more planned and under construction.
"For Canada," Malhotra notes, "the more consequential question is how to capture opportunities beyond uranium production. Canadian capabilities in fuel services, nuclear engineering, and small modular reactors could lead to participation across a wider segment of India's nuclear sector."
The final leg of Modi's tour took him to New Zealand, where he was the first Indian prime minister to visit the country in 40 years. The two countries boosted ties to a Strategic Partnership. Auckland's Sky Tower was lit up in the colours of the Indian flag to honour Modi.
