Andhra Pradesh and Australia signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in Amaravati on 2 August 2026, covering clean energy, advanced manufacturing, inclusive education, student mental health, and skill development. The agreements were signed in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics Nara Lokesh and Australia’s Assistant Minister for International Education, Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill. The partnership, which traces its origins to Lokesh’s visit to Australia in October 2025, marks a significant deepening of bilateral cooperation between the state and Australian institutions.
The Four MoUs: What Was Signed
The four agreements span a wide range of sectors, from renewable energy to mental health. Each MoU involves different institutions and addresses a distinct area of cooperation.
MoU 1: Centre of Excellence for Solar Manufacturing
The most prominent of the four agreements brings together three partners: the Centre of Excellence for Energy Transition (CoEET), Visakhapatnam, IIT Tirupati, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. They will jointly establish a Centre of Excellence for Solar Manufacturing (CoESM) at the IIT Tirupati campus.
The centre will focus on advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing, solar panel recycling, circular economy practices, collaborative research, faculty development, and specialised training programmes. UNSW, ranked among the world’s top 20 universities, will contribute its expertise in solar cell manufacturing, device physics, reliability engineering, recycling, safety, maintenance, ingot manufacturing, and wafering technologies. IIT Tirupati will provide academic infrastructure, faculty support, and research collaboration. The initiative aims to position Andhra Pradesh as a hub for solar manufacturing and innovation, creating a globally competitive talent pipeline for the clean energy sector.
The MoU was signed by D Suman Kalyani, Chief General Manager (HRD), APEPDCL, on behalf of CoEET; Prof K N Satyanarayana, Director, on behalf of IIT Tirupati; and Prof Liza Zamberlan, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International), on behalf of UNSW Sydney.
MoU 2: Inclusive Education for Neurodiverse Children
The second MoU was signed between UNSW, Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV), and Samagra Shiksha, Andhra Pradesh. It aims to strengthen inclusive education by enhancing teachers’ capacity to effectively educate children with autism and other neurodiverse learning needs. The partnership will deliver specialised training, professional development, and teaching resources to educators across the state.
MoU 3: Student Mental Health Pilot Programme
The third agreement was signed between the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) and Rebound, an Australian organisation. Under this MoU, the state will implement a technology-enabled pilot project across selected higher educational institutions. The pilot will provide students with confidential access to wellness assessment tools, evidence-based mental health resources, and virtual counselling services. The programme will be implemented free of cost and is designed to ensure that students can seek mental health support safely and without stigma.
MoU 4: Vocational Education and Skill Development
The fourth MoU was signed between the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) and Australia’s Dynamic Learning Services (DLS). It focuses on strengthening vocational education, workforce development, industry-aligned training, globally recognised professional certifications, and international employment pathways for the state’s youth.
Origin of the Partnership: Lokesh’s Australia Visit
The four MoUs did not emerge in a vacuum. They are the direct outcome of discussions initiated by Nara Lokesh during his six-day official visit to Australia from 19 to 24 October 2025, as part of the Special Visits Programme (SVP) at the invitation of the Australian Government. During that visit, Lokesh participated in roadshows organised by the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) in Sydney and Melbourne. He met with leading universities, research institutions, industry leaders, and government representatives, where he showcased Andhra Pradesh’s investment-friendly ecosystem and identified collaboration in renewable energy research, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development as key priorities.
Over the following months, officials from the Government of Andhra Pradesh, IIT Tirupati, and UNSW worked together to translate those discussions into the concrete partnerships that were formalised in Amaravati on 2 August 2026. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also met the Australian delegation led by Julian Hill at his camp office in Amaravati, underscoring the state government’s commitment to the partnership.
IIT Tirupati and UNSW: The Academic Partners
The Centre of Excellence for Solar Manufacturing brings together two institutions with complementary strengths. IIT Tirupati, established in 2015 under the Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 2016, is one of India’s newest Indian Institutes of Technology. It was created as part of the obligations under Section 93 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, which mandated the establishment of key national institutions in the successor state of Andhra Pradesh. Located in Yerpedu, Tirupati district, the institute was initially mentored by IIT Madras and has grown to offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across multiple engineering disciplines. It is ranked 57th among engineering institutions in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2025.
The University of New South Wales (UNSW), founded in 1949 and headquartered in Sydney, Australia, is consistently ranked among the world’s top 20 universities. It is a global leader in solar photovoltaic research and clean energy innovation. The university’s collaboration with IIT Tirupati will leverage both institutions’ academic and research capabilities to drive technology development and workforce training in solar manufacturing.
The Centre of Excellence for Energy Transition (CoEET), based in Visakhapatnam, serves as the third partner in the solar manufacturing MoU. Established by the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited (APEPDCL), CoEET was approved by the state government in September 2025. It functions as a collaborative platform for innovation, skill development, entrepreneurship, and policy support in the clean energy domain. Over its first five years, CoEET aims to deliver more than 20 applied research and pilot projects, train over 1,000 professionals, and incubate at least 10 new energy startups. Its stakeholders include IIM Visakhapatnam, Andhra University, the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE), and the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
Andhra Pradesh’s Clean Energy Vision
The MoUs are part of a broader strategy by the Andhra Pradesh government to position the state as a leading hub for renewable energy. As Lokesh stated, “Andhra Pradesh is pursuing one of India’s most ambitious renewable energy programmes. Our vision goes beyond creating renewable energy capacity. We are building a complete ecosystem that combines advanced manufacturing, world-class research, innovation, and highly skilled talent.”
The state’s renewable energy push has attracted significant private investment. Tata Power recently began work on a ₹5,750 crore renewable energy project in the state, while NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) has identified Andhra Pradesh as a potential green hydrogen hub, citing the state’s coastal advantage, abundant renewable energy potential, and strong infrastructure base. The Adani Energy Group has also secured an ₹8,500 crore transmission project in the state for green molecules.
Against this backdrop, the Centre of Excellence for Solar Manufacturing at IIT Tirupati is designed to fill a critical gap. India currently imports a significant share of its solar cells and modules, primarily from China. By building domestic manufacturing capacity and a trained workforce, the centre aims to reduce import dependence and support the country’s broader goal of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030, as outlined in India’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
The centre’s focus on solar panel recycling and circular economy practices is also significant. As the first generation of solar panels installed in India over the past decade approaches the end of its lifespan, the question of how to recycle and dispose of millions of panels responsibly is becoming urgent. By embedding recycling and circularity into its research agenda from the outset, the CoESM is preparing for a challenge that many countries are only now beginning to address.
Key Takeaways
- Andhra Pradesh and Australia signed four MoUs on 2 August 2026 in Amaravati, covering clean energy, inclusive education, student mental health, and skill development.
- The Centre of Excellence for Solar Manufacturing will be established at IIT Tirupati through a partnership between CoEET (Visakhapatnam), IIT Tirupati, and UNSW Sydney.
- IIT Tirupati was established in 2015 under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, and is mentored by IIT Madras.
- CoEET, based in Visakhapatnam, aims to deliver over 20 research projects, train 1,000 professionals, and incubate 10 startups in its first five years.
- The student mental health pilot between APSCHE and Australian organisation Rebound will provide free, confidential wellness assessments and virtual counselling across selected higher education institutions.
- The MoUs are the direct outcome of Minister Nara Lokesh’s visit to Australia in October 2025.
