India, Australia launch PACTS to boost cyber, critical technology cooperation

New Delhi: India and Australia on Thursday announced a Partnership on Cyber, Critical Technologies and Supply Chains (PACTS) to deepen cooperation in these sectors and strengthen supply chain resilience by building on the 2020 Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation.

“The PACTS aims to support our shared interest in national and regional security, empower our partners with greater digital choices, make critical supply chains more resilient, and strengthen global cyber resilience,” the statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The PACTS will pursue a unifying strategic vision across five interrelated pillars — supply chain resilience and diversification, critical technology, cybersecurity, digital resilience and defence research collaboration.

Under each interrelated pillar, India and Australia will identify opportunities and specific projects to support collaboration between the private sector, universities, research institutions and government agencies.

This will underpin and extend government-to-government cooperation, increase two-way investment into new technologies, and support the translation of intellectual property into products that deliver economic growth.

Under the supply‑chain pillar, the two countries will develop a bilateral mechanism for collaboration on trusted vendor frameworks.

“Australia and India will work towards secure, resilient and trustworthy supply chains to support our growing technical industries, including by promoting security and safety by design and protective regulatory frameworks and deepening rules-based bilateral technology trade and supply chains,” the statement said.

It will collaborate on semiconductor and critical minerals supply chains, including recycling and recovery, along with promoting commercial collaboration and trade diversification between Australian and Indian businesses.

The critical technology pillar will focus on AI, space, telecommunications, biotechnology and advanced materials.

PACT will leverage global efforts to advance international standards and benchmarks for trustworthy, safe and secure AI by developing consensus-driven, multistakeholder frameworks grounded in democratic values.

Cybersecurity cooperation will include countering cybercrime, deterring malicious activity, exchanging knowledge and experiences related to cyber and technology security norms, and protecting critical national infrastructure.

Digital resilience efforts will scale and diffuse affordable DPI solutions to the Indo-Pacific, including in areas such as clean and renewable energy, resilient critical infrastructure, connectivity, digital transformation, health, social protection, skills development, education, and research.

“Australia and India will work together to leverage defence research partnerships to advance a shared understanding of multi-domain defence challenges and capabilities,” the statement noted.

IANS