Australia to join India in frontier research: PM Scott Morrison

Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit via video conference, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that Australia will take bilateral relationship with India to new heights by joining frontier research.

Bengaluru (Karnataka): Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said his country plans to take bilateral relationship with India to new heights by working together in frontier technologies.

Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit via video conference, Morrison said Australia has plans to take the bilateral relations to new heights.

"Australia and India have unlimited possibilities of working together in Space research, critical minerals, 5G, AI, quantum computing and much more. We have signed the landmark Australia - India Technology Framework on cyber and cyber-enabled technology," he said.

The Australian Prime Minister also highlighted that Australia and India are working together for an open, free, safe and secure internet.

"That is the foundation for digital economies to thrive. We will be soon launching the Australia-India Cyber and Critical Technologies Partnership grant program. The relationship between India and Australia is going from strength to strength, we share a deep desire to succeed and see our region prosper in peace and safety, as ultimately that is all our technology ambition is all about, the prosperity and safety of us all," he said.

He further said he is proud to be leading a 150 strong virtual delegation of Australian policymakers, industry leaders, startups and world-leading institutions to the Bengaluru Tech Summit.

"Bengaluru, India's biggest technology cluster, fourth biggest in the world, home to a third of India's tech professionals and to at least 25 Australian companies, is pulsing with energy and ambition and it is a place where it is easy to believe that "Next is Now"," he said.

When the world is facing a global economic and health crisis that has cost lives and livelihood, Morrison said Australia has faced the challenges of these times head-on with accelerated adaptation, from keeping businesses running, keeping families connected through adopting the technology.

"Australia has seen a rapid uptake in technology during the pandemic. In the first three weeks of the pandemic, a one-fourth of Australian businesses have changed the way they deliver what they do, almost a quarter changed what they do and almost one-third of them expanded their online presence," said Morrison.

He also highlighted the fact that at least 10 Australian companies came out with new technologies to support business continuity.

"We have always been great adapters and implementers of technology, we got plans to bank their rapid progress and support the adaption of technology to help them keep making the most during this hard time," said Morrison.

He said Australia believes that technology holds the key to new science, medical research, reduce carbon emission, addressing global climate change, it is now at the forefront of foreign policy, security and defence.

"It is pushing us to new frontiers in civil liberties and law, in data privacy and protection. That is why the countries like Australia and India are coming together to work on the new technology challenges and opportunities," he said.

Morrison also highlighted that his country's companies have employed thousands of professionals in Bengaluru and Indian companies are also growing their footprints in Australia.

"Australia - India Strategic Research Firm, Australia's largest bilateral science firm with any country, is already forging relationships with universities, research institutes and businesses. In the past 10 years, 30 AISRF clients have funded Australian and Bengaluru-based universities for some pioneering research like quantum computing, astrophysics," he added.

This year, the theme of the summit is "Next is Now". The summit will deliberate on the key challenges emerging in the post-pandemic world with a focus on the impact of prominent technologies and innovations in the domains of 'Information Technology and Electronics' and 'Biotechnology'.

(ANI)