Bengaluru: Australian Prime minister Scott Morrison said his country plans to take the bilateral relationship with India to new heights by working together in frontier technologies.
Speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit Australian Prime Minister Morrison said “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.”
Mr. Morrison also highlighted the fact 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 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 added.
Mr. Morrison also said he is proud to be leading a 150 strong virtual delegation of Australian policy makers, industry leaders, startups and world-leading institutions to the Bengaluru Tech Summit.
“Bengaluru, India’s biggest technology cluster, the 4th 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.
While the world is facing a global economic and health crisis which has cost lives and livelihoods, Prime Minister Morrison said Australia has faced the challenges of these times head-on with accelerated adaptation, from keeping businesses running, to keeping families connected through adapting technology.
“Australia has seen a rapid uptake in technology during the pandemic. In the first three weeks of the pandemic a quarter of Australian businesses changed the way they deliver what they do, almost a quarter changed what they do, and almost a third of them expanded their online presence,” he said.
He also highlighted the fact that at least ten 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 had time,” said Morrison
The Prime Minister went on to say that Australia believes that technology holds the key to new science, medical research, reducing carbon emissions, addressing global climate change, and that it is now at the forefront of foreign policy, security, and defense.
“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 the fact that his country’s companies have employed thousands of professionals in Bengaluru and Indian companies are also increasing their footprint 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 pioneering research such as quantum computing, astrophysics and more,” he said.
This article first appeared in the NFA Post and is republished with permission.
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