Australia-Canada-India, A Tri-lateral Partnership of Technology & Innovation

The new trilateral partnership in technology and innovation announced at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg is the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership. This initiative was unveiled after a meeting between the Prime Ministers of India, Australia, and Canada—Narendra Modi, Anthony Albanese, and Mark Carney respectively.

Key details about the ACITI Partnership include:

• It aims to deepen collaboration among the three democratic partners across three continents on emerging technologies.
• The partnership will focus on critical and emerging technologies, clean energy innovation, building resilient supply chains (including critical minerals), and drive diversification of these supply chains.
• There is an emphasis on advancing net-zero ambitions and supporting the mass adoption of artificial intelligence to improve citizens’ lives.
• The three countries agreed to convene officials in the first quarter of 2026 to further this initiative.

This trilateral collaboration represents a strategic cooperation to leverage the strengths of India, Australia, and Canada in technology and innovation sectors, especially emphasizing sustainable and secure technology ecosystems and green energy transitions.

Main Goal of ACITI

The main goals of the ACITI (Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation) Partnership are:

• Deepening cooperation on critical and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to accelerate their development and mass adoption for improving citizens’ lives.
• Promoting green energy innovation and supporting the transition to net-zero emissions across all three countries, leveraging their respective strengths in technology and industry​
• Building resilient and diversified global supply chains, especially in areas like critical minerals, to ensure secure, sustainable, and reliable technological and industrial ecosystems.
• Strengthening collaboration between the three democratic nations to create a future-proof framework for technological leadership and innovation​
• Facilitating knowledge-sharing and strategic action aimed at inclusive and sustainable growth, with considerations for global development, skill-building (notably in Africa), and the preservation of traditional knowledge.

In summary, ACITI aims to future-proof the technological and innovation ecosystems of the partner countries through climate action, secure supply chains, and a focus on broad-based, inclusive development.

Priority Technologies and Supply-Chain for ACITI

ACITI will prioritise critical and emerging digital technologies, green/clean energy innovation, and resilient supply chains with a specific emphasis on critical minerals and AI-related infrastructure.

Priority technologies

• Critical and emerging technologies broadly, positioned to complement existing bilateral tech initiatives among the three countries.
• Green/clean energy technologies that support net-zero pathways, including innovation in low‑carbon energy systems and related industrial processes.
• Artificial intelligence, with a stated focus on accelerating development and mass adoption of AI applications that improve public welfare and service delivery.

Priority supply chains

• Critical minerals supply chains, highlighted as the central supply‑chain focus, covering extraction, processing, recycling, and circularity to support clean‑energy transitions and advanced manufacturing.
• Broader diversification and resilience of technology‑linked supply chains, including routes, processing locations, and markets for key inputs underpinning green energy and digital technologies.
• Supply chains that enable a “secure, sustainable, and resilient technological ecosystem,” especially those foundational to AI, clean energy systems, and critical-mineral‑intensive industries.