Seamer Nathan Ellis (3-21) and legspinner Adam Zampa (3-45) struck key blows after India were 2-121 and cruising at the end of 14 overs.
India opener Shubman Gill (46 off 39 deliveries) top-scored at Carrara.
Flamboyant opener Abhishek Sharma was dropped from the second ball of the innings at deep point by Xavier Bartlett off the luckless Ben Dwarshuis.
Sharma, the world's No.1-ranked T20 player by the ICC, made 28 in an opening stand of 56 with Gill.
Marcus Stoinis got one to lift nastily to take Sharma on the thumb, shoulder and helmet grill. The India star was given the all-clear to continue, then walloped the next delivery to the boundary.
He launched Zampa for six, before holing out to the same bowler at long-on.
Gill was at his graceful best, with a suite of boundaries a tribute to effortless timing.
One giant six over midwicket, off Stoinis, soared and soared.
Ellis, the master of the slower ball, deceived Gill with a change of pace.
Gill's dismissal was quickly followed by the exit of India captain Suryakumar Yadav (20 off 10) as Zampa and Ellis turned the screws.
Australia received an early boost for the clash with superstar allrounder Glenn Maxwell returning from a wrist injury.
Maxwell has not played since mid-September after he injured a wrist in the lead-up to last month's T20 series against New Zealand.
He was one of four changes for Australia after their five-wicket loss in Hobart, with Zampa, batter Josh Philippe and Dwarshuis also coming into the side.
Captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and elected to field.
There is plenty riding on the result, with the series level at 1-1 and just the fifth and final fixture at the Gabba to come.
Travis Head and Sean Abbott had earlier been released by Australia ahead of the Ashes and will play in the next round of Sheffield Shield matches.
India named an unchanged side from the one that shone in Hobart.
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