Australia announces partnership with India for Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative

Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell on April 19, 2021, announced a grant of AUD 1.4 million (8.12 crore) under the Australian-India Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Partnership (AIIPOIP) grant program.

“The AUD 1.4 million (8.12 crore) grant program is a practical initiative to advance Australia and India’s shared vision for the Indo-Pacific,” said Australian High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell while launching the grant.

Through this program, we are seeking new proposals on how Australia, India, and other regional partners can advance our shared maritime objectives, he further added.

About AIIPOIP

The Australian-India Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Partnership (AIIPOIP) is an initiative under the Australian-India Joint Declaration on a Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

This initiative will aid in shaping maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific to build and sustain an open, resilient, prosperous, inclusive, and rules-based maritime order.

The AIIPOIP was announced during the Leaders’ Virtual Summit on June 4, 2020.

The AIIOIP is a four-year grant program (2020-2024). The grant round one of this initiative will be commissioned in 2021.

About Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Partnership (IPOIP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on November 4, 2019, had launched the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) at the East Asia Summit in Bangkok.

The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Partnership (IPOIP) focuses on seven pillars:

•Maritime Ecology

•Maritime Security

•Maritime Resources

•Capacity Building and Resource Sharing

•Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation

•Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

•Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport

Australia is the leading partner on the maritime ecology pillar.