External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held back-to-back meetings with the Prime Ministers of Australia and the United Kingdom on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda on 5 November 2026, advancing bilateral cooperation agendas with both nations across trade, defence, and strategic affairs.

Jaishankar-Albanese: Indo-Pacific Focus

EAM Jaishankar met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of CHOGM, reinforcing what has become an increasingly dense diplomatic rhythm between New Delhi and Canberra. Sharing a brief on the meeting, Jaishankar posted on X: 'Good to see PM Albanese at CHOGM2026.'

The meeting builds on a sustained series of high-level engagements. Just last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in the Philippines, reviewing defence cooperation, military interoperability, and regional security. Singh underscored India's commitment to its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Australia for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.

The diplomatic tempo reflects a strategic decision by both governments to convert intent into institutional architecture. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Australia from 8 to 10 July for the Australia-India Annual Leaders' Summit in Melbourne, during which both sides signed 18 key agreements — including a defence pact and a civilian nuclear deal covering uranium supply.

Jaishankar-Burnham: CETA and Global Landscape

EAM Jaishankar also met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on the CHOGM sidelines, with the conversation centred on economic cooperation in the context of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between India and the UK, as well as the evolving global situation.

Jaishankar posted on X: 'Pleased to meet PM Andy Burnham of the United Kingdom on the sidelines of CHOGM2026. Conveyed PM Narendra Modi's warm wishes. Discussed strengthening our economic partnership in the context of CETA, as well as the global landscape.'

Notably, this is the first major multilateral setting in which Jaishankar has met Burnham since the British PM assumed office. In July, PM Modi had spoken with Burnham by phone, congratulating him on taking charge and laying out a shared agenda. 'We agreed to work together across sectors such as technology, innovation, defence, security, clean energy, education and people-to-people ties and take the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to new heights,' Modi had written on X after that call.

CETA: The Trade Backdrop

The India-UK CETA, which has since been operationalised, forms the structural backbone of the bilateral economic conversation. During the July phone call, Modi had also noted that both sides would 'collaborate closely to fully harness the trade and investment opportunities presented by the recently operationalised India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, for the shared prosperity and well-being of both our people.'

CHOGM 2026 in St. John's has thus served as a consolidation moment for India's bilateral ties with two of its most strategically significant Commonwealth partners — with Jaishankar reinforcing the frameworks that heads of government had laid in earlier summits.

What Comes Next

With CETA now operational and the India-Australia defence and nuclear agreements signed earlier this year, the follow-through on implementation will be the real test of diplomatic momentum. Both bilateral relationships are poised for deeper institutional engagement across defence, clean energy, and trade in the months ahead.