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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed AustralianSuper’s decision to invest an additional A$500 million (around $346 million) in India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), calling it another sign of growing global confidence in the country’s economic prospects and reform agenda.
The fresh investment by Australia’s largest pension fund comes as Modi is on a visit to Melbourne, where he met business leaders and urged Australian institutional investors to increase their exposure to India’s rapidly expanding economy.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said the latest commitment reflected the trust global investors have in India’s long-term growth story.
“India welcomes the AU$500 million investment from AustralianSuper, announced by their Chief Executive, Mr. Paul Schroder this morning in Melbourne. This is yet another glimpse of the global confidence in India’s growth and reform trajectory. It also reflects the immense opportunities that our dynamic economy offers global investors,” Modi said.
India welcomes the AU$500 million investment from AustralianSuper, announced by their Chief Executive, Mr. Paul Schroder this morning in Melbourne. This is yet another glimpse of the global confidence in India’s growth and reform trajectory. It also reflects the immense…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 9, 2026
AustralianSuper said the latest commitment builds on the A$240 million it invested in NIIF seven years ago. Following the new investment, the pension fund’s total exposure to India will increase to A$3.3 billion across infrastructure, listed equities and private market investments.
The fund said its original investment in NIIF has been among its best-performing infrastructure investments globally, prompting it to deepen its commitment to India.
Speaking at a business forum in Melbourne, Modi made a strong pitch to Australian pension funds, highlighting India’s appeal as a stable destination for long-term capital.
“Australian pension funds currently manage assets exceeding four trillion dollars. In India, pension savings are regarded as a sacred trust. India offers your funds opportunities for safe, stable and sustainable growth. Our endeavour will be to ensure that both your trust and your capital grow,” he said.
He also called for greater collaboration between the two countries in education and workforce development.
“There is a natural synergy between the two nations in the realms of education and skills. Our shared goal should be to transform student mobility into talent partnerships,” Modi added.
The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund was established by the Indian government in 2015 to attract long-term global institutional capital into sectors including transport, energy, urban infrastructure and other strategic assets.
AustralianSuper manages A$410 billion in assets on behalf of millions of Australian retirement savers, making it Australia’s largest pension fund. Its India portfolio spans infrastructure, public equities and private market investments.
The announcement comes as India continues to draw increasing interest from global pension funds and sovereign investors seeking long-term opportunities in one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies. The government has been actively encouraging such investors to support its infrastructure expansion plans and broader economic development.
