Thank you for your interest in the Centre for Australia-India Relations' (the Centre) Maitri (“friendship” in Sanskrit) Grant Program. The Centre provides grants for economic, cultural and policy projects that benefit the Australia-India relationship. The Maitri Grant Program has been developed to deliver grants aligned to the Centre’s strategic objectives and per Australian Government’s Portfolio Budget Statement outcomes 1.1 and 1.6.
The Centre provides these grants for economic, cultural and policy projects that benefit the Australia-India cultural and business relationship. We administer the program according to the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines (CGRGs).
For this grant opportunity, up to $5,215,000 is available to be paid in financial year 2025-26 for grant activities to run over three (3) years.
- The minimum grant amount is $75,000.00
- The maximum grant amount is $800,000.00
It is anticipated that most grants will be between $150,000 and $500,000, but this does not preclude some grants being more or less than this amount.
The grants cannot exceed the amount of available funds.
Applications which include an in-kind or cash co-contribution towards the grant activities may be assessed more favourably, as per the assessment criteria in Section 6.
Please refer to the 2025-26 Maitri Grant Program Guidelines when completing your application. Ensure you and your proposed activity meet the eligibility requirements and your activity does not include ineligible expenditure items.
If you have any questions, please email maitrigrants@dfat.gov.au prior to the advertised closing date.
The Centre will host an Information Session in due course. Details will be available on the Centre's website at 2025-26 Maitri Grant Program
Overarching objectives:
Through a program of impactful and innovative projects, the Centre intends to achieve the following outcomes:
- deeper Australian business capability of the India economic opportunity
- improved quantity and quality of national level dialogue on issues relevant to the Australia-India relationship in both countries
- increased recognition of the contribution of diverse Indian Australian communities to our national story
- stronger cultural literacy and improved mutual understanding between Australia and India
The Centre is seeking to fund projects that will:
Drive new areas of business engagement between Australia and India in sectors outlined in A New Roadmap for Australia's Economic Engagement with India, including the four superhighways of growth and other key priorities. Your activity should:
- harness clean energy to further advance and deliver supply chain resilience
- utilise education and skills to support research into new avenues for industry collaboration and opportunities to commercialise Australia’s technical capability with India
- identify and provide education and opportunities for businesses without mature existing channels for market access, including SMEs and First Nations businesses
- advance agri-tech to further leverage the benefits of our economic cooperation under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA)
- enhance uptake of tourism; or
- support sports collaboration to generate economic engagement, including leveraging Australia’s experience in delivering Commonwealth and Olympic Games
Deliver high impact cultural, and people to people projects, activities and exchanges that may:
- build India capability at major Australian cultural institutions to improve mainstream understanding of India
- leverage/raise awareness of the Audiovisual Co-production agreement
- harness diaspora influence to promote the Australian Indian relationship, including the Indian economic opportunity
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We wish you well with your application.
The Maitri Grant Program Team
Centre for Australia-India Relations
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
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