India need a further 259 runs to claim victory on the final day of the first Test against Australia with eight wickets remaining at Adelaide.
The Baggy Greens declared their second innings overnight on 290-5, leaving Virat Kohli's men to chase 364 to win on the final day.
India got off to a poor start as Shikhar Dhawan departed in the fifth over of the chase when he was caught behind by Brad Haddin off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson for nine.
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara began to build a solid innings and saw off the remaining threat of Johnson and Ryan Harris with the new ball.
The tourists moved past the 50-run mark before Pujara fell to the off spin of Nathan Lyon as he edged the ball behind to Haddin for 21 to leave his side in trouble at 57-2.
However, Kohli arrived at the crease and calmly asserted himself in his innings along with Vijay, who was unbeaten on 47 when lunch was called, to guide India to 105-2 at the break.