Melbourne, July 9 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese held bilateral engagements in Melbourne on Thursday, calling India and Australia a "natural and trusted partnership."

The meeting, part of PM Modi's three-nation Indo-Pacific tour, focused on global uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, and energy security, and aimed at boosting regional stability and strengthening domestic economic security.

According to sources, the two leaders have agreed to significantly upgrade bilateral defence cooperation, which includes the launch of a dedicated defence innovation corridor to foster collaboration between startups and manufacturing sectors in both nations. This initiative is expected to facilitate joint producti...