Modi-Albanese summit boosts Australian university campuses in India

Melbourne,UPDATED: Jul 9, 2026 18:26 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reviewed the expanding India-Australia education partnership during their annual summit in Melbourne, with the Ministry of External Affairs saying the two sides noted the growing presence of Australian universities in India. Among the key outcomes of Modi's visit was approval for Victoria University to set up and operate a campus in Gurugram.

Another major development was the handing over of a Letter of Intent to Flinders University to set up a campus in Bengaluru. The two leaders said educational partnerships were helping build a future-ready workforce, foster innovation and strengthen people-to-people ties, while also pointing to broader cooperation in science, technology and skills.

Modi, who arrived in Melbourne on the second leg of his three-nation visit, took part in the third India-Australia Annual Summit hosted by Albanese. The two leaders also held one-on-one talks followed by delegation-level discussions, and welcomed the successful completion of six years of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The MEA said Victoria University was given a Letter of Approval allowing it to set up and operate its campus in Gurugram in the Capital Region. According to its website, Victoria University has for more than 100 years offered accessible education to students in Melbourne's west and beyond. Flinders University was handed a Letter of Intent for setting up its campus in India, which will enable it to establish a campus in Bengaluru, the MEA said.

In a statement issued after the summit, the MEA said the two leaders highlighted the continued expansion of education cooperation between the two countries. The Australian Prime Minister's Office said the two countries were "committed to unlocking the full potential of our relationship" by investing in education, science and technology. "Australian university campuses in India are a cornerstone of our education partnership, driving innovation, skills development and economic growth in both countries," Albanese said. It added that education and skills are "key pillars" in the relationship between Australia and India. India is Australia's second-largest source of international students, with over 1,40,000 Indian students studying in Australian institutions last year, it said.

The Australian Prime Minister's Office also said the two prime ministers welcomed Flinders University receiving approval to establish a campus in India, joining seven other Australian universities endorsed to have campuses across India. The two leaders also noted the benefits of Australia's growing vocational education programmes in India and welcomed the agreement between Western Australian TAFE and India to support a Centre of Excellence for Skilling in Mining and Mining Equipment, Technology and Services in India.

Among the other outcomes of the visit was a memorandum of understanding between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the University of Melbourne. The MEA said it establishes linkages between the two institutions for future collaboration, including collaborative research programmes on drug target identification, trainee programmes and faculty exchange programmes. The two leaders also welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation Partnership, which the Australian PM's office said would drive trilateral cooperation with Canada on critical and emerging technologies.

The Australian Prime Minister's Office said the two prime ministers also announced the commissioning of a temporary space tracking terminal on the Cocos Keeling Islands, which will support India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. "The site has been successfully commissioned to track the first launch of four key missions," it said. "We are excited to support India's Gaganyaan space launch mission and demonstrate how Australia is a trusted partner in space exploration," it added. Overall, the summit produced a series of outcomes in education, research, technology, skills and space cooperation, underlining the widening scope of ties between India and Australia.

With PTI Inputs

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