Singh was delivering the key note remarks at a policy dialogue on “Building an India-Australia Energy Security Corridor for Indo-Pacific Resilience”. The event was organised by CUTS International in association with the Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur.
The event brought together policymakers, researchers and strategic affairs experts to examine how the two countries can deepen cooperation across energy security, critical minerals, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and resilient supply chains, against the backdrop of an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.
Opening the discussion, Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International, highlighted India’s accelerating transition towards renewable and nuclear energy, noting that reforms to India’s nuclear liability framework have opened new avenues for international collaboration.
He pointed to the recent visit of PM Narendra Modi to Australia for the annual Summit with Australian PM, Anthony Albanese which resulted in Australia’s agreement to be inter alia a reliable supplier of uranium, underscoring the expanding strategic dimension of bilateral energy cooperation.
CUTS Executive Director, Bipul Chattopadhyay moderated the discussion. In his opening remarks, Chattopadhyay noted that India’s energy partnerships are becoming increasingly diversified as the country deepens cooperation with partners across the Indo-Pacific.
He emphasised the importance of collaborative research, technology partnerships and institutional cooperation in developing critical mineral processing capabilities and reducing dependence on concentrated global supply chains.”India is no longer looking only to the West for its energy security; it is strengthening partnerships in the East, with Australia emerging as a key strategic energy partner,” Chattopadhyay said.
Discussions centred on the strategic case for an India-Australia Energy Security Corridor that can support the clean energy transition while reinforcing Indo-Pacific resilience more broadly. Singh argued that the very definition of energy security has evolved.
No longer confined to the availability of oil and gas, she said it now begins with access to critical minerals and extends across mining, refining, manufacturing, logistics and trusted supply chains.
Geopolitical disruptions, from conflicts in West Asia to supply-chain bottlenecks, she noted, have shown how quickly regional crises can ripple through energy markets and destabilise economies across the Indo-Pacific
Pointing to the complementary strengths of the two countries, Singh observed that Australia holds some of the world’s largest reserves of lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements, while India brings one of the world’s fastest-growing manufacturing sectors alongside ambitious renewable energy and green hydrogen targets.
Critical minerals, she argued, must form the foundation of the proposed corridor, enabling both countries to move beyond a traditional buyer-seller relationship towards long-term industrial partnerships in processing, battery manufacturing and clean energy technologies.
Singh also cautioned against over-reliance on concentrated global supply chains, particularly in mineral processing and battery manufacturing, stressing that resilient, diversified supply chains built on trusted partnerships would be central to both strategic security and the clean energy transition.
She identified several practical areas for bilateral cooperation, including joint processing of critical minerals, green hydrogen, battery technologies, skills development, advanced manufacturing and green steel, while underlining the complementary roles that Japan, Singapore and the Quad could play in strengthening Indo-Pacific supply chain resilience through technology, investment, logistics and financing.
“Critical minerals must be at the heart of the India-Australia Energy Security Corridor. They are not only the foundation of the clean energy transition but also of long-term strategic resilience across the Indo-Pacific,” Singh said.
Responding to questions from participants, Singh acknowledged that while significant progress has been made through initiatives such as the Australia–India Renewable Energy Partnership and joint skills programmes, the next phase must focus on implementation.
Expanding collaborative research, investment and workforce development, she said, would be essential to building alternative and trusted supply chains capable of sustaining both countries’ long-term energy ambitions.
Participants agreed that energy security can no longer be viewed solely through the lens of production, and increasingly encompasses critical minerals, manufacturing capabilities, logistics, technology partnerships and resilient supply chains.
The basic issue in this dialogue was the commitment of both Australia India Institute and CUTS International to foster stronger partnership between Australia and India. Other than energy, other areas of joint work would involve defence industry, bilateral trade, Indian diaspora etc, which can help cement the relationship between the two countries and their civil societies.