The latest Maitri Grants announcement deserves attention from more than organisations that regularly apply for government funding. It is relevant to universities, sporting bodies, businesses, cultural institutions, community organisations, researchers and industry groups looking to build a meaningful presence in the Australia–India relationship.

Applications for the 2026–27 Maitri Grant Program opened on 5 November 2026. The programme is administered by the Australian Government’s Centre for Australia–India Relations, within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Its purpose is to support projects that strengthen the relationship through economic, cultural, policy and people-to-people connections.



There is a particularly important detail for the sporting sector: the guidelines specifically identify activities that support sports collaboration and generate economic engagement. They also link those activities to the India–Australia Roadmap for Sports Collaboration.

That makes this more than a general cultural or diplomatic grant with sport sitting somewhere on the margins. Sport is named as an area in which the programme is looking to support practical cooperation.

The challenge now is whether organisations can develop proposals that are genuinely bilateral, commercially and socially relevant, deliverable, and capable of creating lasting value.

What is being offered?

The 2026–27 round sits within a larger Maitri Grants commitment of up to A$27 million over four financial years, from 2026–27 to 2029–30. For the current grant opportunity, up to A$7 million is available to be paid in the 2026–27 financial year for activities that can run for up to three years.

Individual grants range from A$75,000 to A$800,000. The guidelines indicate that most grants are expected to fall between A$150,000 and A$500,000, although applications outside that range may also be considered.

The maximum project period is three years, and funded activities must be completed by 30 April 2030. The programme also indicates that applications involving secured cash or in-kind contributions may be assessed more favourably. Any such contribution needs to be supported by evidence.

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These figures need to be understood correctly. The A$27 million is the programme's funding envelope over four financial years. It is not the amount available to applicants in this round. The current opportunity has up to A$7 million available for payment in 2026–27, with individual grants subject to the stated minimum and maximum amounts and the overall funding available.

That distinction matters when organisations begin planning project budgets and deciding how much funding to request.

Sport has a clear place in the programme

The inclusion of sport is one of the most significant features of the current guidelines for organisations working across the Australian and Indian sporting ecosystems.

The programme identifies sports collaboration as a way to generate economic engagement. It specifically references Australia's experience in delivering the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games, and requires relevant activities to align with the India–Australia Roadmap for Sports Collaboration.

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The roadmap itself is considerably broader than elite competition. It identifies several areas where both countries could benefit from closer cooperation.

High-performance sport and coaching: Australia and India have opportunities to exchange expertise in high-performance centres, coach education, athlete development and performance support. The roadmap highlights two-way coach and coach-educator exchanges, including train-the-trainer approaches.

Sports science and technology: Joint research opportunities include athlete performance analytics, injury prevention, sports nutrition, wearable technology and recovery methods. Universities and research institutions are identified as important participants.

Major sporting events: The roadmap encourages the exchange of expertise in planning and delivering major events. It also identifies potential opportunities for exhibition matches and youth events involving sports that have scope to grow their profile in the other country.

Sports industry and investment: The roadmap identifies sports equipment manufacturing, media and broadcasting, event management and sports start-ups as areas for stronger business engagement. It also points to opportunities for Australian expertise in coaching, strength and conditioning, athlete wellbeing, nutrition and sports psychology.

Women’s sport: Joint initiatives in women's leadership, health, high performance and participation are identified as another priority, including the possibility of bilateral tournaments.

Para-sport and inclusion: The roadmap recognises opportunities to share Australian expertise in para-sport classification, coaching and performance support, including possible links between Australian and Indian universities.



This range of priorities is important. It means a strong sports proposal does not necessarily need to revolve around a major tournament or a high-profile team. A carefully designed coaching exchange, sports science research partnership, inclusive sport programme or event capability initiative could be just as relevant if it demonstrates a clear bilateral purpose and meets the grant criteria.

The opportunity is not limited to sporting organisations

The guidelines are deliberately cross-sectoral. They identify business engagement, education and skills, agribusiness, tourism, investment, cultural exchange and public understanding of India as areas for support.

For example, a university could work with an Indian institution and a sporting organisation to develop an applied sports science programme. A sports technology company could collaborate with an Indian partner to investigate a specific performance or participation challenge. An event-management organisation could work with Indian counterparts on major-event capability and operational knowledge.

A community organisation might develop a structured exchange that connects local participation programmes in both countries. A cultural institution could build a project around the relationship between sport, identity and community engagement.

The strongest proposals are likely to be those that make the connection between sectors clear. A sports project that also builds education pathways, industry knowledge, research capability or sustainable commercial relationships may have a stronger story than an activity that is essentially a one-off visit or event.

This does not mean every application must cover several sectors. It means applicants should be able to explain how their project contributes to the programme's wider objectives rather than treating the grant as a source of funding for an isolated activity.

Who can apply, and what should organisations understand?

The eligibility provisions deserve careful attention because they are more specific than a casual reading of the programme announcement might suggest.

For this funding round, the lead applicant must meet the requirements in the formal guidelines. These include having an Australian Business Number, being registered for GST, being located in Australia, having an Australian financial institution account, and meeting the relevant citizenship or permanent-residency requirement.

Eligible applicant types include Australian-incorporated companies, incorporated associations, charities and not-for-profits, publicly funded research organisations, partnerships, individuals, local government bodies, state and territory government bodies, certain Commonwealth entities and eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations. Consortium applications are also permitted, with an eligible lead organisation.



This is an important distinction for Indian organisations. The programme is designed to support Australia–India collaboration, and Indian organisations can be valuable project partners. However, an overseas organisation cannot simply assume that it can apply as the lead applicant. The formal eligibility rules for the Australian lead organisation must be satisfied.

For consortium applications, the lead organisation submits the application and enters into the grant agreement. The application must identify the other partners and include letters of support setting out their roles, experience and contributions. The guidelines also require formal arrangements with partners before the grant agreement is executed.

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For organisations considering a partnership, this means that a general expression of interest or an informal conversation is not enough. Roles, responsibilities, resources and delivery commitments need to be clear.

What makes a competitive application?

The assessment criteria provide a useful indication of what the programme is looking for. They also challenge applicants to move beyond an attractive idea and demonstrate that it can be delivered.

The four criteria are weighted as follows:

  • Project contribution and outcomes: 40 per cent. Applicants must explain how the project advances the programme's objectives and why it deserves funding ahead of competing proposals.

  • Delivery capability: 20 per cent. Applicants need to demonstrate relevant experience, India knowledge, delivery capability, partnerships, risk management and a credible approach to measuring success.

  • Sustainable impact: 20 per cent. The proposal must explain how benefits will continue beyond the grant period, including how partners and institutional relationships will be maintained.

  • Innovation: 20 per cent. Applicants must identify the gap or opportunity they are addressing, explain how their proposal differs from existing activity and demonstrate how it complements other Australia–India initiatives.



One point deserves particular emphasis: the guidelines explicitly require applicants to demonstrate strong India literacy and an understanding of Australian Government strategic priorities concerning India.

That is not a box to tick with a few references to the size of the Indian market or the popularity of cricket. Applicants need to understand the relevant Indian institutions, operating environment, cultural context, sector priorities and the practical needs of the proposed partners.

A proposal that is well designed in Australia but has little evidence of Indian participation or local understanding may struggle to demonstrate that it can deliver meaningful outcomes.

The application also needs to be supported by a programme management plan covering risk management, communications, an indicative budget and an expenditure timeline. Applicants must provide relevant organisational support, details of additional funding or sponsorship where applicable, and referee letters.

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The funding is not intended to subsidise an ordinary business activity

There are also important limits on what the grant can fund.

Eligible activities can include events, workshops, conferences, exchanges, secondments, communications, market research and community engagement. Eligible expenditure can include essential travel, accommodation within the stated limits, venue hire, directly related employee labour, expert services, translation, research, communications and production costs.

However, the guidelines exclude a number of activities, including ongoing salaries, capital works, retrospective costs, equipment purchases, general organisational administration, completed projects and activities that are already commercially viable in their own right. They also exclude activities that provide a direct commercial advantage to the applicant, such as promoting its own business, or that seed start-ups or business expansion.

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This distinction is critical for businesses and sports companies. The grant is not designed to pay for a company's normal market expansion, routine marketing or commercial operations. A proposal needs to demonstrate a clear public or bilateral benefit consistent with the programme's objectives.

For example, a business-led project may be more compelling if it builds shared industry knowledge, creates a structured exchange, supports market understanding for a broader group of organisations or develops an enduring institutional partnership. Simply asking the programme to fund a company's entry into India would not fit the stated restrictions.

The deadline is closer than it may appear

The official Maitri programme page lists 14 December 2026 at 5:00 pm AEDT as the deadline for concept notes. The published guidelines and SmartyGrants application portal also identify 14 December at 5:00 pm AEDT as the closing time for submissions. Applicants should follow the live application form and the latest official instructions, rather than assume that an informal expression of interest will meet the requirement.

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The published indicative timetable provides for approximately seven weeks of assessment from mid-December 2026 to early February 2027. Successful applicants are expected to be notified in February, with negotiations and grant agreements following. The earliest anticipated start for funded activities is May 2027, and an official announcement of outcomes is likely in June 2027. These dates are indicative and may change.

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For organisations interested in applying, the sensible approach is to begin partner discussions and project design immediately. A strong proposal needs more than a last-minute budget and a letter of support. It needs a clear rationale, an agreed delivery model, evidence of partner commitment and a realistic plan for measuring outcomes.

The real test: what happens after the grant?

Government grants can create valuable opportunities, but the announcement of funding is not itself evidence of a lasting partnership.

The real measure of success will be whether projects establish relationships that continue. Does a coaching exchange lead to ongoing professional development? Does a university partnership result in joint research or curriculum development? Does an event-management initiative leave behind stronger local capability? Does a para-sport project improve access, coaching knowledge or athlete pathways? Does a business collaboration lead to practical opportunities for more than the original applicants?

These are the questions that should shape project design from the beginning.

The programme's emphasis on sustainability is therefore important. It asks applicants to explain how their work will continue beyond Maitri funding and how durable institutional links will be created. That is a stronger test than counting the number of people who attend a conference or the number of meetings held during a delegation.

Australia and India have different sporting structures, commercial environments, institutional arrangements and participation patterns. A successful partnership cannot simply export an Australian model and expect it to work unchanged in India, or the reverse. The most useful projects will be built through shared priorities, local knowledge and reciprocal learning.

What this means for PlayForward

For PlayForward Australia–India, the new Maitri round reinforces an important development: sport is increasingly being considered not only as competition or entertainment, but as a platform for education, research, business engagement, innovation, major-event capability and people-to-people connections.

The India–Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap provides a framework for those conversations. The Maitri Grants provide one possible funding mechanism for eligible projects that translate some of those priorities into practical work.

PlayForward's role is to help make this developing landscape easier to understand. That includes tracking official programmes and funding opportunities, explaining the difference between policy priorities and funded projects, identifying areas where institutions and organisations may have complementary interests, and connecting the wider story across sports technology, high performance, coaching, sports science, venues, major events, education, women’s sport, para-sport and community participation.

It is important to be clear about the distinction: PlayForward is an independent information and collaboration platform. It is not a Maitri programme, does not represent DFAT or the Centre for Australia–India Relations, and does not imply government endorsement or access to funding.

The opportunity now belongs to organisations capable of building credible partnerships and presenting projects that deliver value to both countries.

The strongest outcome of this Maitri round will not simply be the number of grants awarded. It will be the quality of the relationships, capabilities and practical collaborations that remain when the funding period ends.

The opportunity is open. The harder work is building something worth funding.

PlayForward articles distinguish official sources from PlayForward explanation. Nothing here is government policy.