Funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the AUD $130,000 project reflects the growing strategic focus on Australia–India collaboration in cyber and critical technologies, resilient supply chains and energy security, as recently reaffirmed by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Narendra Modi in their commitment to deepen cooperation in these areas.
The project, Securing Critical Supply Chains of Energy Infrastructure Using AI and Blockchains, brings together researchers from La Trobe University, Deakin University and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur). Led by Associate Professor Abdun Mahmood from La Trobe's School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, the La Trobe team also includes Associate Professor Sean Arisian from the La Trobe Business School and Dr Jabed Chowdhury from the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences.
Together, the researchers will develop AI- and blockchain-enabled solutions to strengthen cyber resilience across critical energy supply chains, including advanced risk assessment models, secure information-sharing frameworks and threat intelligence capabilities to improve the security, transparency and resilience of critical infrastructure.
Associate Professor Sean Arisian said the project reflected the growing importance of Australia–India research collaboration in addressing shared cyber security and critical infrastructure challenges.
"Critical energy infrastructure underpins economic resilience and community wellbeing. By combining expertise from Australia and India, this project will develop practical AI- and blockchain-enabled solutions to strengthen the security, transparency and resilience of critical energy supply chains."
The Australia–India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership supports collaborative research between Australian and Indian organisations to advance cyber and critical technologies, strengthen resilient supply chains and foster a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
About La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a top 1% globally ranked, research-intensive Australian university with more than 30 years of engagement with India across education, research and innovation. In India, La Trobe partners with leading institutions including SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Mahindra University, OP Jindal Global University and Lady Shri Ram College, and collaborates on initiatives such as the Bio Innovation Corridor. Its engagement is supported by a network of more than 12,000 India-born alumni and initiatives including the Shah Rukh Khan La Trobe University PhD Scholarship for women researchers from India. The University's AI-first strategy is led by the La Trobe AI Institute launched on July 22, 2026, which provides a single front door to its AI capability across research, education and industry collaboration, embedding AI responsibly and at scale.
