This article covers education, culture, sport and people-to-people links between India and Australia, and the Indian community in Australia. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of June 2026, and figures are given as of that brief or for the year it states.
People-to-people ties
The brief records an early link: the first hoisting of the Indian National Flag, before it was done in India, took place at India House in Canberra on 15 August 1947.
The brief also states that longstanding people-to-people ties, the increasing number of Indian students going to Australia for higher education, growing tourism and sporting links, especially Cricket and Hockey, "have played a significant role in further strengthening bilateral relations".
Indian students in Australia
According to the MEA brief of June 2026, 1,42,515 Indian students were enrolled for study in Australia in 2025, making them the second largest cohort of foreign students in the country. They mainly pursue degrees in Management and Commerce, Information Technology, Engineering and related technologies, and the Health sector.
Education and skills mechanism
The Australia-India Education and Skills Council (AIESC) is an annual mechanism co-chaired by the Education and Skills Ministers of the two countries, to advance cooperation in education, research and skilling. In 2023 the scope of the earlier Australia India Education Council (AIEC) was enhanced to create the AIESC, and the inaugural AIESC meeting was held in Gandhinagar that year.
Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, visited Australia from 10-15 September 2025. The 3rd AIESC meeting was held in India on 08 December 2025.
In a related academic link, India's Ministry of Ayush has established an Ayurveda Academic Chair, with a 3-year tenure, at Western Sydney University's NICM.
Sport
An MoU on Cooperation in Sports was signed during the visit of the then Prime Minister Turnbull to India in April 2017 and renewed during Prime Minister Albanese's visit to India in March 2023.
A strategy report, 'Strategy for Sports Collaboration between India and Australia: A comprehensive partnership from grassroots to podium', commissioned by India's Mission in Canberra, was launched on 21 November 2025 at TURF 2025, the 15th Global Summit on Business of Sports organised by FICCI. It outlines areas of cooperation in:
- high-performance sport
- sports technology, science and education
- sports management and governance
- elite athlete pathways
- infrastructure development
- hosting major sporting events
- knowledge partnerships
Return of artefacts
As of the brief, a total of 40 artefacts that were held in Australian museums have been repatriated to India since 2014, including 11 items in 2026.
Dialogues between think-tanks and young leaders
The Australia-India Youth Dialogue is described in the brief as the pre-eminent track-two young leaders' dialogue between the two countries. The 2025 edition was held in India from 15-18 September 2025.
The Foreign Ministers announced an Australia-India Track 1.5 Strategic Dialogue in November 2023. Australia named Asia Society as its lead think-tank and India named Ananta ASPEN Centre. The brief states that the dialogue was held in Sydney on 18-19 May, without giving the year.
The Indian community in Australia
The brief cites the Australian Census 2021, according to which the Indian diaspora in Australia is over 9,76,000 strong, or about 3% of the total population. This includes 3,50,000 Indian passport holders.
The States and Territories with the largest Indian diaspora, as given in the brief, are:
- Victoria: 3.5 lakhs
- New South Wales: 3.16 lakhs
- Queensland: 1.2 lakhs
- Western Australia: 97,000
- South Australia: 57,000
- Australian Capital Territory: 24,800
- Tasmania: 7,800
- Northern Territory: 6,672