India will host Australs 2027, an annual Asia-Pacific university debating championship, in New Delhi in June next year, with the Indian Debating League (IDL) and IIT Delhi set to organise the event.
The tournament is proposed to be held at IIT Delhi and is expected to bring together more than 300 university debaters and adjudicators from over 70 universities across 21 countries.
India was selected to host the championship following an international bidding process. It will be the first time Australs is being held in India.
The championship was hosted by Indonesia in 2024, China in 2025 and Australia in 2026.
Australs 2027 is expected to include debates on geopolitical shifts, technology and society, global governance, economic transformation and international cooperation. The final themes and motions will be announced closer to the tournament.
Kamal Kashyap, Co-Founder and CTO of the Indian Debating League, said, “As AI reshapes the world of work, employability will increasingly depend on originality of thought, judgment and the courage to challenge the obvious.”
V Sayiram, convener of India Australs 2027, said the event would bring the AustralAsian debating community to India for the first time in the championship’s history.
“Hosting it in India provides debaters from across the country an unique opportunity to test their mettle against the best thinkers of our generation,” Sayiram said.
Australs was established in 1975 at the University of Sydney as an Australia-New Zealand university debating competition. It later expanded to include participants from across the Asia-Pacific region.
Ally Pitt, Chief Adjudicator of Australs 2027, said debating helps young people develop critical thinking and engage in cross-cultural communication.
IDL and IIT Delhi will now begin preparations for the tournament, including arrangements for international participation, tournament programming and associated events.
Further details on participating countries and universities, tournament format, themes, programme and related events will be announced in the coming months.