India Joins Australia, Canada to Advance AI Infra, Workforce Skilling

India, Australia, and Canada have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen cooperation under the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership, a trilateral initiative agreed in November 2025 to strengthen collaboration on critical and emerging technologies. The agreement provides the framework to implement the partnership announced by the three countries last year. 

The MoU aims to expand collaboration across AI, critical minerals, clean energy technologies, and resilient technology supply chains. It also seeks to strengthen ties between governments, research institutions and industry to accelerate innovation and commercialisation of emerging technologies. 

It promotes collaboration in AI adoption, workforce skills, and the AI startup ecosystem, while addressing policy, regulation, and risk management. It also covers related fields such as semiconductors, data centres, cloud computing, digital public infrastructure, IoT, robotics, high-performance computing, and cybersecurity, fostering innovation and security in the digital landscape.

According to Australia's Department of Industry, Science and Resources, the partnership will support joint research, talent mobility, business engagement and policy cooperation. It establishes annual ministerial meetings, senior officials' dialogues and thematic working groups to identify and oversee collaborative projects, while promoting responsible development and deployment of AI and other emerging technologies. 

The three countries will also work to build more resilient supply chains for hardware components and critical minerals that underpin AI infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. The collaboration is expected to support secure access to semiconductor inputs, computing hardware and other strategic technologies while reducing supply chain vulnerabilities. 

It also opens avenues for broader cooperation in areas including trade, defence. and space technologies.