India, Australia Launch New Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains
Melbourne, July 9 (TNT): India and Australia on Thursday launched the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS), replacing the 2020 Framework on Cyber and Cyber Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation, to strengthen collaboration in cyber security, critical technologies and resilient supply chains.
The new partnership was announced following the third India-Australia Annual Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The two countries said PACTS would support national and regional security, strengthen cyber resilience, build secure and trusted supply chains, expand digital choices for partner countries and promote responsible technology leadership based on shared democratic values.
The partnership is structured around five key pillars—Supply Chain Resilience and Diversification, Critical Technology, Cybersecurity, Digital Resilience and Defence Research Collaboration.
Under the supply chain pillar, India and Australia will work towards developing trusted vendor frameworks, strengthening undersea cable security across the Indo-Pacific, protecting semiconductor supply chains, securing critical minerals and promoting bilateral technology trade and commercial collaboration.
In the area of critical technologies, both countries will deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), space technologies, telecommunications, biotechnology and advanced materials.
They also agreed to support the development of international standards for safe, secure and trustworthy AI and expand research and innovation partnerships.
The cybersecurity pillar focuses on countering cybercrime, protecting critical infrastructure, enhancing cooperation in international cyber governance, facilitating joint workshops, promoting cyber technology investments and establishing a cyber skills incubator for capacity building.
To strengthen digital resilience across the Indo-Pacific, the two countries will collaborate on expanding Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), promote digital transformation in sectors such as healthcare, education, renewable energy and social protection, and undertake pilot projects to build adaptable digital ecosystems in partner countries.
Under defence research collaboration, India and Australia will expand cooperation between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group, strengthen defence innovation partnerships and jointly develop advanced maritime technologies and defence capabilities.
The partnership will be jointly overseen by senior officials led by Australia’s Deputy Secretary, International and Security Group, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and India’s Deputy National Security Advisor. Annual senior officials’ meetings will review progress, identify emerging cyber and technology challenges and formulate new collaborative projects under the five pillars.
The two countries said the new framework would deepen government-to-government cooperation while encouraging greater participation by industry, research institutions and universities to promote innovation, investment and economic growth.
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