Overview

Deakin University, Australia, announced that its researchers have been awarded several competitive grants under the Australia‑India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership (AICCTP). The partnership, established in 2020, supports collaboration among Australian and Indian research institutions, industry, government and civil‑society organisations.

Grant Awards

Four joint research projects have been funded:

  • Post‑Quantum Cryptography Migration in the Indo‑Pacific – led by Deakin in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
  • Quantum‑safe Digital Public Infrastructure – led by Deakin in collaboration with Symbiosis International University and Vellore Institute of Technology.
  • Securing Critical Energy Supply Chains Using AI and Blockchain – a joint effort involving La Trobe University, Deakin and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
  • Addressing Barriers to Safe, Standards‑Based AI Adoption – conducted by Swinburne University of Technology together with Deakin, the Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad and River Venture Studio (Singapore).

Additional Funding

Earlier, Deakin’s SME Research Centre secured an Australian Government Maitri Grant of A$340,000 for the initiative “Empowering Innovation: Australian FDI Initiatives for Building Innovation Centres in India”. The programme is designed to help Australian SMEs better understand India’s innovation landscape through workshops, policy insights and an India roadshow.

Institutional Background

Deakin University was established in 1974 and began its South Asia operations in 1994 in New Delhi, becoming one of the first overseas education providers in the region. The university combines teaching excellence with research partnerships that aim to deliver tangible benefits to domestic and international communities.

Statements

Robin Doss, Professor and Director of the Deakin Cyber Research and Innovation Hub, said the projects “reflect the depth of that relationship and our shared commitment to developing secure, resilient and future‑ready technologies that will benefit both nations and the broader Indo‑Pacific region.”

Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Engagement) and CEO (South Asia) of Deakin University, added that “the strongest impact comes from bringing great talent and partners together” and emphasized the university’s “in‑country” approach to co‑creating solutions that build capability and deliver real benefits for industry, governments and communities.

Significance

The awards underscore the growing ambition of the Australia‑India partnership in critical technologies, research and innovation, bringing together universities, industry and research institutions to advance AI, cybersecurity and quantum technologies while strengthening talent mobility and innovation pathways between the two countries.