Australia India Institute

Today we celebrate Children's Day and pay tribute to India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on his birthday. This day serves as a reminder of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s enduring belief in the importance of nurturing and investing in the next generation.

The Institute hosted Regional Partnerships for Bilateral Research Futures at the Melbourne Global Centre – Delhi, strengthening research capability between the University of Melbourne’s regional campuses and Indian regional universities. The panel discussion shared research challenges and best practices for regional and industry engagement, explored how place-based research drives industry, community and innovation outcomes, and identified priority areas for future collaboration between Australian and Indian Regional Institutions. The event builds on the Institute’s UTTHAN Pathways project, designed to provide a formal pathway for collaboration between Indian Tier 2 and 3 Institutions and Indian regional universities. Thank you to our panelists for sharing your rich insights, we look forward to building on this momentum. @HCICanberra @AusHCIndia @PrinSciAdvOff

Expressions of interest are now OPEN for new Khel Connect Innovation Partnership Projects 🏃‍♀️🏄🇦🇺🇮🇳 Delivered by the Institute on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Education, the initiative will bring together Australian and Indian organisations to deliver collaborative projects across three priority areas: ‣ Athlete and Coach Development Pathways and High-Performance Support Services ‣ Community Sports Development and Adaptive Physical Education ‣ Major Event Capability, Sports Business, Innovation and Commercialisation The projects form part of the Institute’s Khel Connect: Australia-India Sports Education & Innovation Pathways program, designed to support collaborative, scalable initiatives between Australia and India which build India’s sporting capabilities and strengthen bilateral collaboration in sports education and innovation. To find out more: arch-india.org/khel-connect-…

On behalf of the Institute, we wish you a bright and joyful Diwali weekend! #Diwali means row of lights in Sanskrit and symbolises the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. ✨ As we celebrate this Festival of Lights, may it illuminate our hearts and homes with wisdom, peace, and prosperity. May the year ahead be filled with harmony, success, and well-being for you and your loved ones.

The Institute was pleased to partner with @KASonline Australia and the Pacific and @LaTrobe University Centre for Global Security in Suva on an Islands Roundtable to strengthen mutual engagement between middle powers and Pacific Island states, to identify practical and collaborative approaches to supporting resilience and stability in the Pacific. The Roundtable provided a platform for policy-focussed discussions designed to assist decision makers to better understand and respond to the challenges of island nations. It builds on the Australia India Institute’s Fiji Dialogue held last year on Australia and India: Enhancing Cooperation with Indo-Pacific Island States. Both of these engagements provide a platform to strengthen regional stability across a range of security and economic challenges and help build resilience for the future. Our CEO The Hon. @Lisa_Singh provided opening remarks, joined by Australian and Indian High Commissioner’s to Fiji Mr Peter Roberts and H.E. Mr. Suneet Mehta and German Ambassador Designate H.E Ms Nicole Menzenbach. Senior Policy and Projects Manager - Geopolitics and Security and Research Fellow Grace Corcoran moderated a session on Regional Stability for a Prosperous Pacific and Indian Ocean. Thank you to Ambika Vishwanath from Latrobe and Sabina Wölkner from KAS for leading this roundtable and all delegates for their insights and participation. We look forward to continuing this meaningful discussion. @HCI_Suva @AusHCFJ @theidlethinker @GermanyPacific

New Read 📰 The Institute's October newsletter is out now! This month we highlight the Institute’s Khel Connect Sports Symposium in Chennai, our new Australia-India-Republic of Korea Partnership report, our Defence Industry roundtable in Perth and more. Read here: aii.unimelb.edu.au/institute…

Research Fellow and Senior Policy and Projects Manager - Geopolitics and Security Grace Corcoran met with Jeju Peace Institute President and former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Australia Jeong-sik Kang and Director General of the Jeju Forum Secretariat DongJoon Park ahead of the launch of the Institute’s new research report, ‘The Strategic Imperative for an Australia-India-Republic of Korea Partnership’. Discussion revolved around how Australia, India and the Republic of Korea can work together to shape a secure and stable region.

Wishing you a joyous and prosperous Dussehra! May this vibrant festival fill you and your loved ones with joy, optimism, and inspiration.

CEO @Lisa_Singh delivered the keynote address at @MNUedu on the theme, ‘Maldives-Australia-India Strategic Engagement: Advancing Liberal Institutions and the Rules-Based Order’. Strengthening multilateral institutions and deepening the triangle of cooperation between Australia, India and the Maldives will be pivotal to helping define much of the next decade and to fostering a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. Following on from the address, Lisa joined a panel discussion featuring the Secretary of the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs @MoFAmv, @AusHCMV and @HCIMaldives Thank you to the Maldives National University, School of Security and Strategic Studies and Dr Athaulla Rasheed for hosting Lisa Singh for this timely address.

And that’s a wrap on Day 2 at the Khel Connect Symposium 🤝 Led by the Australia India Institute, hosted at @iitmadras and supported by the @AusGovEducation, the Symposium brought together leading Australian and Indian organisations across higher education, sport, industry, and government to exchange knowledge, identify collaboration opportunities, and forge connections in sports education, research, and innovation. Day 2 focused on promoting connections and partnership development through structured pitch sessions and facilitated discussions within specialisation-based streams. 🏃‍ #KhelConnect26

The Institute was pleased to host Director General of @teriin Dr Vibha Dhawan, to deliver the our 2026 Annual Oration in Delhi. As a distinguished women leader, Dr Dhawan's Oration, 'Powering Change: Women’s Leadership, Innovation and the Australia-India Partnership', offered a reflection on her experience in leadership and on the future of the bilateral relationship. In her remarks, Dr Dhawan reflected on the challenges and solutions of translating global commitments on sustainable development and climate change into meaningful action 🌏 Thank you to Dr Dhawan for her insightful Oration and thank you to Frank Vetere and Moira O'Bryan for their remarks. See more on the Institute's Annual Oration here: aii.unimelb.edu.au/australia……