India and Australia used two business forums in Melbourne on 9 July 2026 to push a wider economic partnership. The events matter because they connect trade, investment, higher education, and supply-chain security with India’s broader economic diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific.
What happened
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, jointly addressed the Australia-India CEOs Forum and the Economic Roadmap Business event in Melbourne. The CEOs Forum brought together leading Indian and Australian CEOs and business leaders, representatives of major Australian superannuation funds and institutional investors, and Vice-Chancellors of leading Australian universities. The Economic Roadmap event had over 200 CEOs and business leaders from both sides.
Background and earlier position
The business push builds on the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) of 2022. ECTA gave the two countries a framework for expanded trade and set the base for a deeper economic partnership. The article also refers to the proposed Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), which has remained a longer-term goal in the bilateral relationship.
India and Australia already share democratic systems, a common view of the Indo-Pacific, and strong people-to-people links. These factors have supported the shift from a narrow trade conversation to a broader agenda covering education, innovation, and strategic supply chains.
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