On 9 July 2026 India and Australia launched the Australia-India Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS), replacing the 2020 Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber‑Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation.
Overview
- Launch date: 9 July 2026.
- Purpose: Bilateral cooperation on cybersecurity, critical technologies, resilient supply chains and defence research.
- Structure: Five pillars — Supply Chain Resilience and Diversification; Critical Technologies; Cybersecurity; Digital Resilience; Defence Research Collaboration.
- Governance: Jointly chaired at deputy‑senior official level with annual Senior Officials Meetings for coordination and review.
Key Initiatives
- Undersea cable security: Cooperation to secure Indo‑Pacific submarine cable connectivity as critical infrastructure.
- AI standards: Joint workstream to advance interoperable technical and governance standards for artificial intelligence.
- Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Scaling DPI solutions and promoting India’s DPI principles with Indo‑Pacific partners.
- Supply chains: Collaboration on semiconductors and critical minerals for resilience and diversification.
- Cybersecurity: Countering cybercrime, protecting critical infrastructure, joint workshops and a cyber‑tech skill incubator hub.
- Science & technology: Defence S&T links plus cooperation in space, telecommunications, biotechnology and advanced materials.
Institutional Leads
- India: National Security Council Secretariat, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence.
- Australia: Office of the Ambassador for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology, Department of Defence.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- Predecessor: Replaces the 2020 Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber‑Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation.
- Geopolitical link: Builds within the broader India‑Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework.
- Operational cadence: Annual Senior Officials Meetings; practical joint workshops envisaged for capacity building.