India and Australia agreed to expand and realign their science and technology partnership towards mission-oriented collaboration in critical and emerging technologies. The decision followed discussions between Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh and Australian Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and Digital Economy Dr. Andrew Charlton MP.
During their meeting, the two Ministers reviewed the progress of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund and welcomed the finalisation of five joint research projects under Round 16 of the programme. The projects cover critical minerals processing, quantum technologies, advanced manufacturing, climate-resilient agriculture, and cellular immunotherapy, reflecting a sharper alignment of bilateral research with clean energy transitions, supply chain resilience, and advanced biotechnology priorities.
Dr. Singh emphasised that India is pursuing a mission-mode approach in frontier domains such as advanced materials, quantum technologies, AI-enabled research, clean energy transitions, and critical minerals, and highlighted the BioE3 policy aimed at positioning India as a globally competitive bio-economy hub. He underscored the importance of industry participation and ensuring the translation of research into scalable solutions.
The Ministers also discussed expanding cooperation in space, including Earth observation for climate resilience, agriculture, disaster management, and maritime applications, as well as space situational awareness and the long-term sustainability of outer space. They noted the potential for closer engagement between space agencies, research institutions, and private enterprises across the entire space value chain.
